A toddler who underwent lifesaving surgery thanks to a Bermudian doctor has died after returning to his home in Nicaragua.

Keyler Lopez-Mendoza passed away yesterday at his home in Malacal village just two months after he was treated in Toronto for the rare heart condition.

The charity Corner of Love, which has a Bermuda chapter, relayed the sad news on its Facebook page.

“With great sadness, we bring you all the tragic news that Keyler died this morning at 5am at his home in Malacal village. He had been very well throughout the last week following his surgery in August and recovery in Toronto,” the charity posted.

“On Wednesday our friends held him and he was all smiles.

“He was two years and five months old and making progress towards walking and talking following a miraculous operation that repaired his heart and restored his oxygen sat from 42 percent to 99 percent.

“Keyler was enjoying the best health of his short life and we are overcome with grief.

“We ask for your prayers at this difficult time.”

The message was shared on social media by Wee Care Paediatrics. Dr Stephen West, who helped arrange the overseas surgery and raised more than $16,000 for his non-medical expenses, works at Wee Care Paediatrics.

Wee Care wrote: “It is with the most incredible sadness that I have to share this.

“My heart is broken this morning. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.”

In August The Royal Gazette reported how Keyler was finally able to breathe on his own again after undergoing an operation lasting more than nine hours in Toronto.

After the successful operation Dr West said he was moved to tears when he saw a picture of the infant after he was taken off a ventilator at the Hospital for Sick Children (HSC).

“I will admit that I shed a tear or two this morning, seeing him sitting up, smiling and with a bit of a mischievous look in his eyes,” he said.

Dr West heard about Keyler from the founders of US-registered charity Corner of Love, which has a Bermuda chapter.

The infant was from one of the remotest parts of Nicaragua and suffered from complex cyanotic congenital heart disease, which was literally turning him blue.

Dr West suggested applying to a charitable fund for international patients at the Hospital for Sick Children to enable him to get life-changing surgery — and the application was successful.

Keyler had his operation on August 7 and Dr West held a fundraising head shave for him the same day at his Wee Care surgery in Hamilton.