Surgery designed to increase 3-year-old Vivienne Crowell’s blood and oxygen flow  was an apparent success.

On Aug. 29, cardiac surgeon Sitaram Emani performed his third surgery on Vivienne, who was born with the left side of her heart missing. Her father, Jason Crowell, told the Tri-Town Weekly on Aug. 31 that everything was repaired and there were no complications, but that the Freeport family is taking matters “one step at a time.”

The surgery took place at Boston Children’s Hospital, where Vivienne underwent her first surgery when she was six days old. The Crowells also hope that this third surgery will help Vivienne, who also suffers from an anxiety disorder, with her movement and motor skills.

“There are no complications yet, but we’re still taking it one step at a time,” he said last week.

The Crowells got some big help from the hometown folks on Aug. 25, during a benefit dinner arranged by Angela Garrison, owner of Beansprouts Early Learning Childcare Center. More than 200 guests donated $2,248 toward the Crowells’ large medical expenses.

“We had 10 pans of lasagna that were donated, salads, garlic bread and lots of yummy desserts that people brought,” Garrison said. “There were a total 15 volunteers for the event mostly from the (Freeport High School) football community. It was a wonderful event with lots of love and laughter. It was so heartwarming to see the Freeport community come together in support of Vivienne and the Crowell family, I was humbled with gratitude for every person there.”

Garrison also thanked her Beansprouts staff for getting the school ready for the dinner.

“There was a lot of help and cleaning that went on behind the scenes,” she said. “I also wanted to thank Gritty’s for the $50 gift card that we were able to raffle off.”

For little Vivienne, the surgery, known as the Fontan procedure, was part of the long haul she has experienced since she was born.

“Her head was large for the second surgery, when she was a little over 4 months old,” Jason Crowell said. “So that surgery was designed to bring more oxygen and blood flow to her head. Now, her body needs that.”

Freeport High School football players were among the volunteers at a benefit dinner for the Crowell family on Aug. 25 at Beansprouts Early Learning Childcare Center. The Crowell’s 3-year-old daughter, Vivienne, born with a defective heart, had her third surgery on Aug. 29 in Boston.