By Hugh Fisher
hfisher@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — A local boy is recovering well after surgery to correct a heart problem that has affected him since birth.
Jacob Riley Usher, 3, was featured in the Salisbury Post’s coverage of World Down Syndrome Day on Monday.
He underwent surgery Tuesday morning at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem.
Doctors replaced a defective heart valve with a donor valve and repaired a hole in his heart.
Linda Smith Hawkins, the boy’s grandmother, said the operation took about nine hours.
“He is doing pretty good,” she said on Thursday.
She said doctors have told the family that, depending on his progress, he will probably be released from the hospital the week after next.
It’s still unclear, however, how much additional time will be needed before Jacob can return to his class at Partners In Learning.
Norma Honeycutt, director of Partners in Learning, said staff of the child care center had been getting updates from Usher’s family.
“We were thrilled, absolutely thrilled with his progress,” Honeycutt said.