Atticus “Atti” Elias Steitz passed away on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. He was 13 months old.

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Atti filled every moment with strength, determination, and a personality much bigger than himself.

Though his time on earth was far too short, Atti filled every moment with strength, determination, and a personality much bigger than himself.

Atti is lovingly remembered by his amazing parents, Athena Guerra and Isaiah Steitz of Jacksonville; paternal grandparents, Alyssa Crane “MeMaw” and Daniel Cushman “Pops” of DeLand; paternal grandfather, Thomas Steitz of DeLeon Springs; paternal great-grandfather, Thomas Steitz Sr. “Popaw” of DeLeon Springs; paternal great-grandfather, Michael Crane “Papa” of DeLand; paternal uncles, Colt Steitz and Luke Cushman of DeLand; paternal aunt, Bella Steitz of DeLand; maternal grandparents, Joanie and Brian Freeman “Yaya & PawPaw” of Las Vegas, Nevada; maternal uncle, Jon Guerra, Jr. of Charlotte; maternal great-grandparents, Joan and Scott Owen “Gma & Poppy” of Daytona Beach; godmother, Maddy Bollette of Charlotte; godfather, Thayeden Cox of DeLand; maternal great-aunt, Amy Miller of Salisbury, North Carolina; as well as many other extended family and friends who will forever cherish his memory.

Atti’s story began before he was even born. At his mom’s 20-week ultrasound, his parents learned that their baby boy had hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare and critical congenital heart defect in which the left side of the heart does not develop properly. After Atti was born, they learned that his heart was even more complex and his condition more severe than doctors had been able to see before his birth.

From that moment forward, Atti showed everyone exactly what he was made of.

Atti spent all 410 beautiful days of his life at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. From the day he was born on July 19, 2025, until the day he passed on September 1, 2026, he never once got to leave the hospital. Shands was the only home he ever knew, and his nurses, doctors, caregivers, and staff became part of his extended family.

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Atti showed everyone exactly what he was made of.

His mommy and daddy built their entire lives around their little boy. For 410 days, they were there for the good days, the terrifying days, the milestones, the setbacks, the smiles, the snuggles, and everything in between. Their lives revolved around loving Atti, advocating for him, and making sure that no matter what he was facing, he always knew his mommy and daddy were right there.

Within the first couple of weeks of Atti’s life, his parents received news no parent could ever be prepared to hear: their newborn baby would need a heart transplant. From that point forward, Atti began the long journey toward receiving the gift that could give him another chance at life, a donor heart.

Among the millions of babies born in the United States each year, only a remarkably small number of children will ever travel a journey like Atti’s and receive the extraordinary gift of a donor heart. After nearly a year of waiting and fighting, Atti finally received his new heart in July- just a few days shy of his 1st birthday.

In so many ways, Atti truly was one in a million. His journey was incredibly rare, but anyone who had the privilege of knowing him already knew there would never be another little boy quite like him. He was one of a kind from the very beginning.

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His bright spirit and infectious personality left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of caring for him.

His new heart gave everyone so much hope, but Atti’s little body had already endured more in 13 months than most people will endure in a lifetime. Despite the incredible efforts of his medical team and the fierce love surrounding him, he ultimately passed away from complications following his long and difficult medical journey.

But Atti’s story was never only about a heart condition, surgeries, machines, or hospital rooms.

It was about Atti.

Atti had a lot of character for such a little man. Whether he was proudly rocking his signature mohawk, charming everyone around him, or sharing his endless chatter, he brought smiles to everyone who knew him. A natural ladies’ man from the very beginning, Atti never met a stranger and quickly won over the hearts of everyone he encountered.

Because of his friendly nature and popularity among caregivers, nurses, and staff, Atti became affectionately known as the “Mayor” of the hospital floor. His bright spirit and infectious personality left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of caring for him.

Atti enjoyed watching Moana and Kung Fu Panda, and he loved Paw Patrol and The Smurfs. But his favorite pastime was snuggling with his mommy and daddy, listening to his daddy’s songs, and putting up with his mom’s crazy antics, including her always trying to answer calls from his feet. Those silly, ordinary moments became some of the most precious memories of his life.

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Those silly, ordinary moments became some of the most precious memories of his life.

Atti never got the chance to go home with his mommy and daddy. In all 410 days of his beautiful little life, he never got to feel the sunshine on his face outside the hospital walls, hear the birds singing, play in the grass, go fishing with his mommy and daddy, or experience so many of the simple things we often take for granted.

But we find comfort in knowing that Atti is no longer surrounded by hospital walls. He is no longer connected to machines, undergoing procedures, or fighting. We can only imagine him now surrounded by all the beauty he never had the opportunity to experience here on earth, whole and free in Heaven.

There are no words for why one little boy had to endure so much. What we do know is that Atti could not have been given a more perfect mommy and daddy for the life he was given. Athena and Isaiah were chosen specifically to be his parents. They loved him fiercely, advocated for him relentlessly, celebrated every victory, carried him through every setback, and lived every day of his life for him.

They were Atti’s Mommy and Daddy for every one of his 410 beautiful days on this earth, and they will be Atti’s Mommy and Daddy forever.

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He brought families together, touched the hearts of countless doctors, nurses, caregivers, and people who followed his journey.

Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation on Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon for family and from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. for friends. A funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. A committal service will immediately follow at DeLand Memorial Gardens.

The family kindly requests that guests attending the services dress formally and wear light blue, if possible, in honor of Atti.

For those wishing to support Athena and Isaiah during this time, a GoFundMe has been established to assist the family.

Atti’s life may have been brief, but it was anything but small. He had 410 beautiful days on this earth, and he made every single one of them matter. In those 410 days, this beautiful little boy showed more strength, courage, and determination than most of us could imagine. He brought families together, touched the hearts of countless doctors, nurses, caregivers, and people who followed his journey, and taught everyone who loved him just how precious an ordinary moment can be.

He was rare. He was remarkable. He was deeply loved.

And above everything else, he was Atti.

The most beautiful boy in all the land. 💙

***Att's GoFundMe***