Father and Son Celebrate Christmas Together After Health Challenges

The Tutt family is celebrating a heartfelt Christmas together at home after facing significant health challenges. Spencer Tutt, a dedicated police officer and avid runner, was hospitalized following a serious heart event on December 21, 2023. This incident occurred after he completed a 10K trail run, an event he had been training for over six months.

“I felt more winded than I think I have in the previous years running, but I had no idea what was going on,” Tutt told ABC News. Following his emergency, doctors diagnosed him with a rare birth defect known as anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, or ARCAPA. This condition is often asymptomatic until serious complications arise.

Spencer underwent open-heart surgery and spent several days in the intensive care unit at a hospital in Tyler, Texas. “I spent a couple of days in the hospital after getting life-lighted from Nacogdoches to Tyler,” he explained, detailing the procedure where surgeons removed excess muscle surrounding his coronary artery.

This unexpected medical crisis followed a challenging time for the Tutt family, as Spencer’s son, Mason, had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia just five months earlier. According to Dr. Chelsea Vrana, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Mason’s symptoms included a fever and severe pain in his right hip.

“Mason was diagnosed with a type of leukemia called B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia,” Dr. Vrana stated. This form of leukemia is the most common cancer among children, affecting approximately three to four children in every 100,000 in the United States.

In the months leading up to Spencer’s health scare, the Tutt family had been frequently traveling to Texas Children’s Hospital for Mason’s treatment. On the day of Spencer’s emergency, they had their bags packed for one of Mason’s hospital stays. “Everyone was able to be that much stronger in the hospitals and ready for what was to come with me because of everything we’ve been through in the last six months,” Spencer remarked.

Mason’s treatment has involved six rounds of high-dose chemotherapy and has been a journey filled with both struggles and moments of joy. He expressed that coping with needles and lumbar punctures has been particularly challenging. Yet, there have also been uplifting experiences, like meeting therapy dogs and unwrapping early Christmas presents.

Mason’s family and doctors are optimistic about his recovery. “Mason’s leukemia has responded extremely well to the chemotherapy,” Dr. Vrana noted. “While he still has quite a bit more of his treatment to go, I expect Mason to continue to impress all who meet him.”

Looking ahead, Mason will require at least two more years of treatment. Meanwhile, Spencer is focused on his recovery. “I’m feeling stronger every day. I’m just trying to work my way back to where I was before the surgery or even better,” he shared. His doctors have indicated they do not expect any further complications.

The Tutt family is hopeful that sharing their journey can inspire others facing similar challenges. “If someone could see our story out there and then be inspired by it to either be able to push through or to maybe even find their own faith, I think that would be worth it,” Spencer emphasized.

Their 12-year-old daughter, Chloe, expressed her excitement about the family being together for Christmas, stating, “It’s really great to have them both on a really good track to healing and I really like that we get to go home for Christmas for the first time in eight years.”

As they gather to celebrate the holiday, the Tutt family feels grateful for the gift of togetherness, resilience, and hope.