Senator Carmen Amato, Jr., Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre have introduced legislation to establish February 12th as “Carly Day” in New Jersey. The proposed bills, SJR-129 and AJR-191, aim to honor Carly Fetzer, a Bayville resident born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
The legislative proposal highlights that congenital heart defects are present at birth and affect the normal flow of blood through the heart. In the United States, 9 out of every 1,000 babies are born with such a defect. Carly Fetzer underwent three surgeries in her early years and lived for 18 years before passing away. Her family established the Carly Fetzer Queen of Hearts Foundation to provide support to families at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and fund research on congenital heart defects.
Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week is observed from February 7th to February 14th annually. Designating February 12th as “Carly Day” would serve as an annual reminder for New Jersey residents about the impact of congenital heart defects.
In a joint statement, Senator Amato, Assemblyman Rumpf, and Assemblyman Myhre said: “Carly was a truly remarkable individual who personified bravery in her short but impactful life. She continues to inspire individuals to undertake remarkable acts of kindness… It would be fitting for our state to formally recognize this bravery and kindness by designating ‘Carly Day’ while also raising awareness of this serious medical condition with the understanding that 9 out of every 1,000 babies born in the US will be born with a heart defect.”
