Nationwide Children's Hospital
Ray and Liam
On any given week, you might spot a young Gahanna family cheering at swim lessons, at church, or lingering by the waterfall at Creekside to watch the ducks. What you wouldn’t see is the journey that brought them there – a journey marked by uncertainty, resilience, and a Valentine’s Day heart surgery that changed everything.
That family is Whitney and Ray Bignall and their son, Liam.
Married since 2013, the Gahanna residents both work at Nationwide Children’s Hospital – Whitney as a pediatric psychologist and Ray as a pediatric nephrologist. While their professional lives have always been connected to caring for children, nothing prepared them for becoming patients themselves when their first child was born.
In December 2022, the Bignalls welcomed Liam, a happy, bright baby who quickly became the center of their world. As time went on, however, they noticed that something was not quite right.
Searching For Answers
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Liam enjoying the decorations during a hospital visit
While Liam seemed healthy overall, he often was congested and caught frequent colds and ear infections.
“He has been the light of our lives ever since being born,” said Whitney. “He’s been a very happy child and has been developing normally. The only exception is that he had kind of been sick a lot and was a very noisy breather.”
Doctors initially believed Liam’s symptoms were related to his ear tubes and adenoids, which were removed in 2023. But even after that procedure, he continued to get sick.
Determined to find the cause, the Bignalls worked with multiple specialists and pushed for additional testing. Finally, in November 2024, a CT scan revealed the answer: Liam had a congenital heart condition called a double aortic arch.
Instead of having one aorta, Liam had two. The extra vessel formed a ring to surround his esophagus and windpipe, explaining his breathing issues and frequent illnesses. Surgery was needed to correct the problem.
“We are parents first and those anxieties and fears all parents have come up,” explained Whitney. “Our teams were excellent in making sure that they spent time with us, making sure we understood every procedure, even though we have a background in the medical field, which is just really helpful and reassuring.”
A Valentine’s Day to Remember
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Liam's family visiting him in the hospital
On February 14, 2025 – right in the middle of American Heart Month – Liam underwent heart surgery at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
To help make the experience less intimidating for their son, the family brought along Liam’s favorite books, toys, and his Toniebox audio-player. His grandparents were also there to offer support.
The surgery was a success, and Liam was back to his smiley, energetic self just a couple of days later.
“Liam had heart surgery at Nationwide Children's Hospital on Valentine's Day,” said Ray. “I figure that if there’s a good time to have heart surgery it’s probably Valentine's Day. And praise the Lord, it went incredibly well.”
The Bignalls say their gratitude for their colleagues has only deepened.
“We work alongside a lot of people,” Whitney said. “You know they are amazing, but they become super amazing when it’s for your child. It becomes so personal and you learn to appreciate them on a different level because Liam’s our most precious thing.”
Ray added, “We will be eternally grateful to the team for helping our son’s heart to be whole again. As a pediatric nephrologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital, I have the privilege of working with many of the team members that helped care for my son. I work with them day in and day out. But let me assure you, it’s very different being on the other side of that examination table, and it gives us the opportunity to experience first-hand the hopeful, life-saving impact that takes place within the walls at Nationwide Children’s Hospital every day, none of which happens without the support of our community.”
Life After Surgery
Today, Liam continues to do well. While he still has regular follow up appointments, life has largely returned to normal for the Bignalls, as they enjoy everyday activities throughout the Gahanna community and within their community at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Wanting to help other families and raise awareness, they shared their story during Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s 2025 Light Up the Lawn, Light Up a Life campaign and have since appeared in a commercial supporting the hospital.
“I think just getting the word out as much as we can and sharing our story is what we are doing,” said Whitney. “We love the hospital and we love how the community supports the patients. We wanted to make sure that we were a part of it.”
Korrigan Craddock is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
