George B. Clarke IV’s transformative support expands cardiac intensive care at CHKD
Two-year-old Michael Ettel III is busy running around his house in Virginia Beach. On his agenda: pushing his dump truck, giving a quick pet to his dog, and seeing what his baby brother, Charlie, is up to on his playmat. The happy toddler stops briefly to climb into his mother’s arms for a quick hug, his blonde curls smooshing sweetly against her cheek before he’s off in search of a snack.
Born full term in early spring 2024, Michael was the first child of Michael Ettel II and his wife, Laney, and the grandchild of George B. Clarke IV, CEO of MEB and member of the Children’s Health System board of directors. Soon after birth, the Ettels noticed Michael struggling to gain weight. At four weeks, his pediatrician referred him to CHKD for an echocardiogram, which revealed a congenital heart defect. With no family history of cardiac issues, the Ettels were shocked. “We were new parents, and then everything stopped,” says Laney. “The newborn bubble just burst, and we went into medical mode.”
After a CT scan and additional tests, the family learned that Michael would need surgery. They first met with the pediatric cardiac surgery and cardiology team from CHKD’s Heart Center to discuss treatment options.
Then, wanting to be certain they were making the right decision for Michael, the family also traveled out of state for a second opinion.
The Ettels chose CHKD. “The surgeons showed us scans, compared cases, and explained why they were confident that the procedure they recommended – going in through his side versus open-heart surgery – would provide the same results,” Laney says. “It would be less invasive and would lead to a shorter recovery for Michael.”
At 10 weeks old, Michael had successful heart surgery at CHKD. “They called us every hour from the operating room. Afterward, while he was being transferred to the PICU, they even explained what we could expect when we saw him,” says Laney. “In the PICU, truly every person is a hero.”
Michael, to the delight of his family, was home just a few days after surgery. He now only needs annual checkups with his CHKD cardiologist, Dr. Tracy Alderson.
It was an eye-opening experience for George, who Michael calls Papa, to see firsthand the challenges families face when a child is seriously ill, especially when traveling away from home. “I can’t imagine how hard it would be to leave your support system, your job, and your other children for weeks at a time,” he says. “This experience showed me just how lucky we are to have a first-class facility like CHKD.”
Moved by his grandson’s journey, George made a transformative gift to establish the new Clarke Ettel Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). Scheduled to open in late 2027, the CVICU will feature larger rooms for complex equipment, space for bedside procedures, and a dedicated team of nurses, respiratory therapists, nutritionists, and intensivists. Individual stations outside each room will allow nurses to monitor patients directly, while the unit’s design will focus on comfort and healing.
“The CVICU will provide space for the specialized care needed to care for critical patients,” says Dr. Umar Boston, chief of cardiac surgery at CHKD. “Our hope is that we can handle even more complex cases here, helping kids recover faster and have better outcomes closer to home.”
Both the Ettel and Clarke families are excited that the new CVICU will provide greater access to care for children with complex heart conditions.
“We are so blessed to have such a great facility in our backyard,” says Laney. “I’m so thankful to know that more families will have the peace of mind that comes with this level of dedicated care.”
Published in CHKD’s KidStuff Magazine, Summer 2026
Written by Jessica Davenport • PHOTOGRAPHY by Amanda MacDiarmid
