Help Support Our Little Fighter, Jr and family

Hello, my name is Sheila and I’m reaching out for support for my 11-month-old son, Ryan Jr. From the moment he entered this world, he has faced more challenges than most of us will face in a lifetime — and yet he continues to fight with incredible strength.

Jr’s Story

Jr was born six weeks early, but none of his medical struggles are due to prematurity. He was born with a rare condition called VACTERL association, where a child must have at least 3 of the 7 related defects to be diagnosed.

Jr has 5 out of 7.

Doctors told me that the odds of a child being born this way are around 0.025% — extremely rare. But Jr is one of those rare miracles.

Jr’s Medical Challenges

Jr lives with multiple serious birth defects, including:

Imperforate Anus (IA) — requiring complex medical and surgical care


Heart Defect — monitored closely, though no surgery is needed at this time


One Kidney — which must work overtime, with constant monitoring


Bladder and Colon Connected as One — a complicated condition that affects basic bodily functions and requires expert treatment


Spine Defect — we are still undergoing tests and imaging to determine the full extent


Limb Difference — a small defect in his left leg that may affect mobility as he grows


These conditions require constant appointments, testing, imaging, and specialized care.

Despite all of these challenges, Jr is such a fighter. He has already undergone six surgeries, including one emergency surgery that no parent should ever have to face. Each procedure is physically hard on him and emotionally draining for our family, but he continues to push through with remarkable strength.

Our Weekly Reality

Most weeks, we spend hours on the road traveling to appointments, sometimes multiple times a week. It’s exhausting physically, emotionally, and financially — but we do it because Jr needs it.

A Recent Setback: Losing Our Only Vehicle

Recently, on our way home from a doctor’s appointment, we hit a deer in our only family vehicle. We later found out that our insurance coverage was not what we believed it was, and we are now without a vehicle completely.

This has made our situation even harder. We rely on others for rides to Jr’s many medical appointments, which is stressful, unpredictable, and not always reliable. With his complex needs, having a safe and dependable vehicle is not a luxury — it is essential.

Why We’re Asking for Help

We are raising funds to help with: Replacing our family vehicle so we can safely get Jr to his appointments

Every donation makes a direct and meaningful difference in Jr’s and our family life.

From a Mother’s Heart

It is incredibly hard to ask for help, but I am doing this for my son. He deserves every chance at the best life possible, and I’m doing everything I can to give him that.

If you can donate, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you can’t, simply sharing Jr’s story helps more than you know.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our sweet boy and for supporting our little fighter.

With love,
Sheila