From the beginning, Barrett has struggled just to stay alive. He was born with a heart condition called Transposition of the Great Vessels, a congenital heart defect in which the position of the two major vessels that carry blood away from the heart, the aorta and the pulmonary artery, is transposed or switched. He was also born with Coarctation of the Aorta, a birth defect in which the major artery from the heart (the aorta) is narrowed somewhere along its length. Barrett has been through several open heart surgeries in his short life time of nine years, and has been told that within the next ten years he will require a heart and lung transplant.

But, even with you knowing all this about him, you could walk into his 3rd grade class, and not be able to pick him out of the crowd, (unless you're looking for the boy with the biggest smile, most helpful nature, and brightest light in his eyes). On the playground, you would have the same problem. He runs and jumps, laughs and plays ball just the same as any other, except for that extra spring in his step.

Academically, things have not come easily. He has to go the extra mile to learn and achieve, yet he always, always, remains positive. Because of all his hard work, he is a constant reminder that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. He is doing GREAT in his school work, he is self-motivated and always anxious for a new challenge. He truly is an example to his classmates.