Six-year-old Maddie Sprague rejoined her kindergarten classmates at Discovery Elementary School this month.

It’s the first time she’s been back with her new heart.

She was born with congenital heart defects; her underdeveloped heart didn’t allow enough blood flow throughout her body. She has had several open-heart surgeries — including one on the day she was born — but her parents didn’t expect she’d need a transplant for many years.

In the fall, Maddie’s energy levels dropped, her mother, Jeannie, said. Maddie went into heart failure, just six months after an open-heart surgery that was expected to prolong failure for another decade.

Maddie received her first transplanted heart at Seattle Children’s the day after Christmas 2014, three days after being put on the transplant list.

And it’s likely she will need another in the future.

But the Sammamish community has rallied to help the Sprague family, as volunteers aim to raise $50,000 for transplant-related expenses. To date, the fund has nearly $27,000.

Maddie’s parents, who knew of her condition when they adopted her as a baby, are taken aback by the heart-warming community support.

“It’s the greatest thing you can ever imagine,” Jeannie Sprague said.

The Spragues moved to the Renaissance Ridge neighborhood in Sammamish almost three years ago. They have four children: the oldest, Warren, 10; Maddie, the middle child; and four-year-old twins, Jake and Joe. All four children are adopted.

The neighborhood community has also come together to help the family of six, from bringing over meals to taking turns baby-sitting the children.

Jeannie Sprague said everyone, including their church and school communities, have played a role in providing lasting support that has lifted some of their burdens.

Last weekend, the community gathered at the Columbia Athletic Club off of 228th Avenue for a TRI 4 Maddie triathlon.

The triathlon included an 800-meter swim and a 90 minute bike right for club members only. At a quarter to 9 a.m., any community member was welcome to join in a 3-mile run starting and ending at the club.

The event raised $2,005, which will go to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association in honor of Maddie for transplant-related expenses.

Typically, a transplanted heart lasts 15 years, but there’s really no telling when it will give out.

There’s no doubt Maddie will need a new heart in the future.

“It’s not a question of if; it’s a question of when,” COTA community coordinator Holly Quinnett said.

Quinnett lives two doors down from the Spragues and is motivated to help the family with expenses, like paying for a nanny or various medications.

COTA helps support patients with all transplant-related medical expenses during their lifetime.

Donations to the fund can be made online through the COTA website at http://cota.donorpages.com/PatientOnlineDonation/COTAforTeamMaddieS/.

*The Spragues took Maddie to Seattle Children’s Tuesday night due to a fever and possible pneumonia case. Neighbors rallied earlier this week to help with meals and baby-sitting the other children.