February 27, 2026
Oliver Van Cleave is a soon-to-be eight-year-old with a special heart.
Special, because he has a condition called bicuspid valve syndrome with aortic stenosis. It’s a birth defect that means Oliver’s aortic valve has only two flaps that allow blood to leave the heart, instead of the normal three. This causes the valve to narrow and harden over time, making it less effective at doing its job.
Oliver was diagnosed with the condition when he was nine months old. When his parents, Victoria and Zach, took him to the doctor for an ear infection, they had no idea how the visit would impact the trajectory of their lives.
“We took him in, and they thought they heard something sounding off a little bit,” said Victoria. “And so, within 24 hours, we ended up getting in, getting a scan, getting all the things done. Then, they kind of set us down and said there’s a couple of things we need to talk about.”
They discussed how Oliver’s condition was life-threatening, and he would need check-ups every few months to monitor the valve and the progression of the disease. They could try expanding the valve with a balloon to buy some time before it would eventually need to be replaced. And once replaced, the valve would not grow as Oliver did, so it would require replacement again down the road.
In 2021, doctors at Children’s Nebraska performed the balloon expansion. Over the next four years, Oliver and his parents faced a rollercoaster of ups and downs, uncertain of how much longer they could wait before replacing the valve.
“We’d go in to see our cardiologist,” said Zach, “and in one visit, he would say Oliver’s numbers look really good. And so, we would go out of those appointments like, wow, this is great. And then we’d go back three months later, and it’d be like a yo-yo going the other way.”
Finally, last August, the Van Cleaves and Oliver’s cardiology team agreed it was time to move forward with the valve replacement.
The surgery, called a Ross procedure, would involve replacing Oliver’s aortic valve with his own pulmonary valve. His pulmonary valve would then be replaced with either an artificial valve or a donated human valve.
“We knew that a human donor valve was always our best outcome,” said Victoria. “We were aware that a mechanical valve would have a tremendous impact on his life expectancy, the medication, and his quality of life. A human valve was going to allow him to live as normal of a life as possible.”
Fortunately, through the generosity of tissue donation, a valve matching Oliver’s size was available and successfully transplanted into Oliver in the fall.
Just a couple of months after the procedure, Oliver was able to compete in a basketball tournament.
The Van Cleaves describe Oliver as an extremely active kid who plays with everyone, defends the little guy, and has a special relationship with his sister Augusta. He loves sports, particularly football, but the reality of his condition means he’s better suited for low-contact sports like tennis, swimming and golf. He also likes to read, play board games and cheer on the Minnesota Vikings.
Oliver’s “special heart” has defined his identity his entire life. Looking to the future, his transplant will help him forge a new path.
“I hope he uses this as a strength and a superpower, and that he knows that he can conquer the hardest things because of this,” said Victoria.
Zach agrees, knowing that their family has been blessed by the donor who helped save Oliver’s life and gave him the opportunity to grow and thrive.
“At the end of the day, a part of that person lives on, and through Oliver, they will go on and do great things. Someday, I will find the words to thank their family and share Oliver’s story because I feel like they’re owed that.”