Cleveland Clinic construction workers build daily bond with 4-year-old awaiting a heart transplant in hospital

A ritual visible from a hospital window

A daily exchange between a construction crew and a hospitalized child has become a routine on Cleveland Clinic’s main campus, unfolding at the same time each afternoon through two facing windows.

The child, 4-year-old Brinley Wyczalek, has been receiving inpatient care at Cleveland Clinic Children’s since October 2025 while awaiting a heart transplant. In her room, she watches for a group of construction workers across the street who wave, form heart signs with their hands and respond to messages displayed in the window.

How the interaction began

The connection started in January 2026 when Brinley’s father used a light from her room to signal toward the work site. A worker noticed and shined a light back. Soon after, the crew placed a handmade “Get well soon” message in their window, prompting a reply from the family: “Thank you, waiting for a heart.”

Since then, both sides have continued the exchange with new signs and gestures. The window communication also developed into brief in-person visits after work, when members of the crew have stopped by the hospital floor to say hello.

In the family’s response message — “waiting for a heart” — the daily waves became linked to the realities of transplant care and prolonged hospitalization.

Life while waiting for a transplant

Brinley’s extended hospital stay reflects the complex logistics of pediatric heart transplantation. While awaiting a donor heart, she has been supported by a ventricular assist device commonly used as a bridge to transplant in children with severe heart failure. The device can limit mobility and time away from bedside equipment, contributing to long, repetitive days inside a single room.

For families, this period often includes uncertainty about timing and medical stability. The Cleveland-based routine has added predictability: Brinley’s family has described the exchange as a daily moment to anticipate during an otherwise constrained schedule.

Where the workers are building

The construction crew is working on Cleveland Clinic’s new Neurological Institute building, a major expansion project planned to consolidate neurological inpatient and outpatient services and add specialized intensive care and operating capacity. The facility is part of a broader campus redevelopment effort, with completion timelines publicly described as late 2026 to early 2027, depending on the phase and project benchmarks.

What has happened since

As the interaction continued, the crew brought small gifts to Brinley, including a signed hard hat and other items suited to a young child spending most days in a hospital room. The routine remains brief but consistent, marked by a set time in the afternoon and a shared understanding that the child is waiting for a transplant.

• Location: Cleveland Clinic main campus, Cleveland, Ohio
• Patient: Brinley Wyczalek, age 4
• Timeline: Inpatient since October 2025; window exchange began January 2026
• Daily activity: waving, heart-hand gestures, window signs; occasional post-shift visits