Ethan, the 20-month-old baby saved by heart surgery in Malaga

Benin is a small country in West Africa, between Togo and Nigeria, but today it is a little closer to Malaga, after the Materno Infantil Hospital saved the life of little Ethan, a baby of just 20 months who underwent heart surgery in the city.

After spending anxious and uncertain days in the paediatric intensive care unit, and following a journey that has touched the hearts of all those involved, he has now returned to Cotonou, the capital of Benin, his home. It is a happy ending to a story that, at several points along the way, could easily have gone very differently.

According to a statement from the Tierra de Hombres foundation, Ethan "has finally returned to his home country" from Malaga, a city where he arrived "with a sick heart that today, thanks to the excellence of the Cardiology team, beats with renewed strength". It was not a straightforward road.

The weeks spent in Malaga were filled with moments of tension and uncertainty, with medical staff working tirelessly to give this tiny boy the best possible chance at a healthy life.

Their efforts paid off, and Ethan is now heading home with a future that looked very different just a short time ago. For the doctors and nurses who cared for him, his recovery represents one of the most rewarding outcomes their work can produce.

The success of the operation, says Tierra de Hombres, "means much more than a medical milestone: it represents the opportunity for a child not yet two years old to grow, play and live with the same opportunities as any other child".

For a foundation dedicated to giving vulnerable children access to life-saving medical care that would otherwise be out of their reach, Ethan's story is exactly the kind of outcome that makes their work worthwhile. It is a powerful reminder that when the right people, institutions and resources come together with a shared purpose, extraordinary things can happen for those who need it most.

During his stay in Spain, Ethan was supported by Marina, his foster mother, who "played an outstanding role despite it being her first experience" in the Journey to Life programme.

This initiative is sustained by the commitment of volunteers and foster families who open their homes and hearts to children travelling abroad for medical treatment they cannot access in their home countries.

Marina was "unconditionally supported by her parents, who devotedly took on the role of foster grandparents", creating a warm, loving and stable family environment far from Ethan's homeland. She was responsible for providing "the stability and affection needed for the child's recovery", a role she carried out with remarkable care and dedication throughout his time in Malaga. For someone undertaking this kind of experience for the first time, her commitment has been described as nothing short of exemplary.

Although the moment of departure was the ultimate goal of the programme, it "left a deep emotional mark on a family that gave everything with exemplary dedication".

Saying goodbye to a child you have cared for over weeks of illness, uncertainty and gradual recovery is never easy, even when that goodbye represents the best possible outcome. The bond formed between Ethan and his foster family in Malaga is one that will not be easily forgotten by any of those involved. In many ways, that emotional weight is a testament to just how fully Marina and her family embraced their role and welcomed Ethan into their lives.

The work of the foundation is made possible thanks to institutions and sponsoring companies such as Reale Seguros, Dental Company, the Córdoba Provincial Government, Obra Social La Caixa, and the A Coruña Provincial Government and town hall.

"Thanks to this combination of institutional and private efforts, stories like Ethan's stop being a dream and become a reality of life and hope that will always hold a piece of this little one's laughter in the lands of Malaga," explains the foundation. It is a network of support that stretches across Spain, linking together organisations and individuals united by a shared commitment to giving children like Ethan a fighting chance at a healthy life.

The return journey to the capital of Benin was coordinated by David Quintana, an experienced collaborator who ensured that the trip was safe, calm and well-managed until the child was placed back into the hands of his biological parents.

"This accompanying work, backed by years of experience and the empathy of the professionals at Aviation Without Borders (ASF), is the final link in a complex logistical chain where the human factor is always the priority," states the foundation.

Getting a 20-month-old child safely across continents and back to his family requires not just careful organisation, but genuine compassion and expertise - qualities that ASF and the wider network around Ethan have demonstrated at every stage of this process.

Ethan arrived in Malaga as a sick baby with an uncertain future. He is leaving as a child with a repaired heart, a real chance at a normal childhood, and a city - and a foster family - that will always hold a very special place in his story.