Estee Williams says infant daughter back at top of transplant list after critical setback

Influencer Estee Williams has shared an emotional update on her 8-month-old daughter, Estelle, who has been in intensive care for months while awaiting a life-saving heart transplant.

On Thursday, May 7, the 28-year-old posted to Instagram Stories with news that her daughter has once again been placed at the top of the Northeast transplant list after previously being temporarily deemed ineligible due to medical complications.

Estelle has been hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit since November 2025 and has now spent more than 169 days in the hospital. 

According to Williams, her daughter has remained listed as Status 1A on the heart transplant waiting list for the past four months.

“We never declined any offers while she was unable to take a heart about a month ago,” Williams wrote. 

She added that Estelle is now medically eligible again and remains in critical condition while awaiting a donor match.

Estelle was born on Sept. 5, 2025, with an extremely large ventricular septal defect (VSD), a congenital condition involving a hole in the heart. While VSD is relatively common in newborns, Williams previously said her daughter’s case was “well beyond what is considered large.”

Her condition worsened in December 2025 when she went into cardiac arrest and was placed on ECMO life support. 

Since then, she has remained in hospital care, dependent on advanced medical support, including a Berlin Heart device that helps sustain her heart function while she waits for a transplant.

Williams also shared a glimpse into Estelle’s daily condition, saying the baby has periods of wakefulness and interaction with her parents, Williams and her husband Conner. During those moments, the couple reads to her, plays music, and stays close at her bedside.

“She hasn’t smiled since her first operation,” Williams wrote, adding that the family continues to hope for small signs of progress even while Estelle remains intubated.

The influencer also noted that her daughter is expected to undergo another major kidney function test this weekend, which could determine whether she can be taken off continuous dialysis support.

Estelle’s medical journey has been ongoing since shortly after birth, when doctors discovered the severity of her heart defect during what was expected to be a routine procedure. 

At just 11 weeks old, surgeons determined the hole in her heart measured approximately three centimeters—one of the largest cases her medical team had encountered.

Williams has previously described the experience as a long and uncertain fight, with doctors confirming early on that Estelle would require a transplant before she could leave the hospital.

Despite the challenges, Williams continues to share updates with followers as her daughter remains under constant specialist care while waiting for a donor match.