Eight-year-old Emmitt was outside playing on a normal day, when he ran out of breath.

"My heart was beating fast, but I took some rest and I got better," Emmitt said.

Emmitt's mom thought it was just a cold, but after a trip to the doctor's office and getting an MRI, he was diagnosed him with Aortic Coarctation, a narrowing of the aorta.

"They don't have symptoms, most of the time, but they have elevated blood pressure. But for a baby, small kid or even a teenager...that is not that common and that should raise a concern," Christus Children's San Antonio Chief of Surgery Victor Bautista said.

The Aortic Coarctation triggers hypertension when it narrows and stops blood flow.

"Specifically for this patient, there were two options that were very feasible, intervention in the cath lab, or surgery," Bautista said.

It was not an easy decision for Emmitt's mom, Breanna.

"It was very nerve wracking, especially not knowing the outcome," Breanna said.

Emmitt is one of only 200,000 people suffering from Aortic Coarctation, but following his surgery, he's healthy and ready to get back to his math homework. 

"It feels better now that I've recovered from the deal," Emmitt said.

Bautista says the repair utilized only Emmitt's natural tissue, and it's unlikely he will have any problems down the road. 

If a problem arises, he would undergo a cath lab procedure, a much easier and quicker solution.