A 23-month-old boy is recovering after he became deathly ill and was escorted Tuesday by an emergency convoy over 88 miles of snow-covered highway for treatment at a Central Indiana children’s hospital.

Bentley Gingerlowski, who was born with a rare congenital heart defect, suffered a low blood platelet condition that caused external bleeding. His condition was grave, according to a hospital press release.

The boy’s parents, Nicole and Brian Gingerlowski, rushed through the snowstorm to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Pocono in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. On the Gingerlowski’s request, they were transported to Geisinger Medical Center’s Danville campus by Suburban EMS.

Specialists at the hospital have treated the boy’s heart condition since he was born there almost two years ago.

The convoy left East Shroudsburg, Pennsylvania at approximately 10:15 a.m., according to Sean Brown, press officer for PennDOT District 5. Two plow trucks led the ambulance, joined by a Pennsylvania State Police SUV and two National Guard Humvees. In total, the Gingerlowskis and their escort made a near 4-1/2 hour trip through parts of Pennsylvania that saw 2 feet or more of snow.

Doctors and nurses at Geisinger Medical Center’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania, “stabilized his life-threatening condition.”

He is in fair condition, according to Joseph Stender, hospital spokesman.

Initial reports surrounding the incident were that the boy was in need of emergency surgery.

“He did not undergo any surgery,” Stender said.

“The vivacious toddler is now resting comfortably, completely unaware of the fanfare surrounding his precarious journey,” the release states.

Michael Rapp, a paramedic with Suburban EMS, East Stroudsburg, cared for Bentley Gingerlowski during the drive.

The convoy traveled between 25 and 30 mph, he said. Every so often the ambulance would stop so ice could be cleared from its windshield wipers. The plow trucks made for a safe ride.

By and large, it was a calm event, Rapp said.

“We try to make things that would normally be anxious moments be calm,” Rapp said. “It was a pretty uneventful ride.”

“To finally get here was a relief,” Nicole Gingerlowski said, according to the press release.

The lengthy drive through blizzard-like conditions and uncertainty surrounding her son’s condition terrified the couple.

“To see your son that way was scary,” she said. “He’s always been a fighter, but not knowing what would happen to him really was the scariest part.”

Gov. Tom Wolf spoke about the escort during a live address about the snowstorm Tuesday afternoon.

“The child went to the hospital in East Stroudsburg. It was determined he needed a transplant and had to go back to Danville to Geisinger to get it,” Wolf said.

“PennDOT led the way with a plow train. State police went with the group to make sure they were safe. The National Guard followed to make sure if anything happened they could help. Local emergency responders and medical practitioners made sure the baby was safe while they made the trip,” Wolf said.

Rapp credited all parties with coordinating the transport and making it happen within a quick turnaround.

“The teamwork was pretty impressive,” Rapp said. “If we were going without any help, it would have been much more difficult.”

Scicchitano writes for the Sharon, Pennsylvania Herald.