Heartbreak as one-year-old ‘real life superhero’ dies after his heart ‘simply gave up’
Jayden Zing passed away in December when his heart simply ‘gave up’
Jayden Zing with mum Lauren(Image: Jam Press)
A heartbroken mum has shared the agony of losing her “real life superhero” one-year-old who passed away after battling a heart condition. Lauren Zing was told during her pregnancy that her unborn son Jayden was unlikely to survive birth after scans revealed severe medical conditions.
Jayden was born in July 2024 with multiple heart defects, as well as intestinal malrotation, meaning his organs were on the wrong side of his body. He later suffered a hypoxic brain injury following a failed stent surgery at just one week old.
Doctors warned Lauren that Jayden would never walk, talk, eat or sit up due to the extent of his brain injury. But he defied odds and reached every milestone. Lauren, 26, says Jayden lived a normal life until December last year when out of the blue, his heart simply “gave up”.
Jayden Zing pictured as a new-born in hospital(Image: Jam Press)
ssible. He was just like a normal baby and every day was always full with laughter and fun. Jayden didn’t know any different, to him he was normal and happy and he never let it show.
“I was so, so proud of him but of course I worried about him every day. But I made sure we lived life to the fullest. The day he passed away, we started the day as normal. We were at my mum’s house and he was getting upset but I just thought he was teething.
“He didn’t want to settle so we were singing, dancing and cuddling him. We even took him out in the car but he started to become more poorly and the next thing I knew, I was holding my lifeless baby in my arms and fighting to save his life.”
Jayden was rushed to hospital but there was nothing doctors could do. Lauren said: “His heart had just given up on him. Life has stood still since we lost him. I don’t know what the future holds but what I do know is I will get my baby’s story out there and if I can help other families who are going through the same thing I will.
Jayden had the ‘biggest personality and character for a one year old’(Image: Jam Press)
“Parents should always advocate for their babies even against the health professionals because they aren’t always right. They wanted me to give up on Jayden but I knew I never could. I knew how strong he was. He was my real life Superman.”
Lauren and food processor partner Samet, 22, found out at the 20 week scan that Jayden would be born with heart defects and would be lucky to survive birth. She claims she was offered an abortion but declined. Lauren said: “My world came crashing down when they said my baby had all of these problems.
“I was absolutely heartbroken that I couldn’t take away. They said his life would be very limited and due to the brain injury, he would never walk, talk, eat or sit up but my baby passed very milestone. Jayden was absolutely amazing.