Jacksonville mom meets toddler who received her son's heart

Jacksonville mother Alicia Erchul, 43, had an extra special moment last month at Disney World -- she met Morgan Price, 4, who received the heart of her late son, Gabriel Crystalus.

PHOTOS: Jacksonville mom meets toddler who received her son's heart

“For me it was like this feeling that my heart finally received a piece of it back,” said Erchul.

Her son, Gabriel, was four-months-old when he died in 2014, from traumatic head injuries.

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He had been under the care of Erchul's then-husband, who was sentenced for Gabriel's death.

At the same time, 4-month-old Morgan Price was in the hospital waiting for a heart -- she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at 2 weeks old.

In a successful transplant surgery, Morgan received Gabriel’s donated heart.

For the first time, the two families met at Disney World two weeks ago.

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“She just grabbed me.  She wanted hugs and she wanted kisses,” said Erchul.

Erchul said it was an instant connection.

“Meeting Morgan,  I was able to feel like I could just take a full breath, and a sense of peace came over me,” Erchul said.

Erchul said she hopes that her son’s heart will mean a long and happy life for Morgan.

“I just prayed that they would receive all the love I had for him, and I just want her to be happy and have a good life with her family,” said Erchul.

For more information on organ donation and children, click HERE.

Cox Media Group