Hello everyone,

I am reaching out to our community, family, and friends to share the story of my son, Jayden. Our journey began at my 20-week anatomy scan, where we received the news that Jayden would be born with an incurable and complex heart condition. Since then, Jayden has been a heart warrior, fighting through three major open-heart surgeries in his four short years of life.

Most recently, Jayden underwent the Fontan procedure—a grueling 10-hour surgery where he fought for his life. After a total of 12 days in the hospital, including a difficult readmission for dehydration, our brave boy is finally home. While it is a blessing to see him recovering and hitting his milestones, his healing process requires 24/7 care and attention.

In my daily life, I take great pride in working hard to support my family. I serve our community as a school bus driver, as a CNA, and by taking on additional driving roles with Uber, Lyft, and Amazon. I am used to being the one who "does it all," but right now, Jayden’s recovery has to come first. Because his care is so intensive, I am currently unable to work my normal shifts, and as a result, our household has lost a major source of income.

We are asking for your support not for medical bills, but to help us cover our basic living expenses (rent, utilities, and groceries) while I stay home to ensure Jayden recovers safely. My goal is to be by his side until he is strong enough for me to return to the driver's seat and my patients.

How your support helps:

Housing & Utilities: Keeping our home stable while I am out of work.

Daily Essentials: Covering groceries and household needs for Jayden and his siblings.

Transportation: Assisting with gas and vehicle costs for Jayden’s many follow-up specialist appointments.

While I am grateful that the new Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave program has allowed me to possibly recover a small portion of my weekly paychecks, it unfortunately doesn't cover nearly enough to keep our household running. (I've been waiting a month to get approved.) As a school bus driver and CNA, my income depends on being physically present, and the state's partial replacement just isn't reaching the finish line for our rent, utilities, and daily essentials. Until Jayden is stable enough for me to return to work fully, I am asking for this extra assistance to bridge that gap and keep our family afloat during his recovery.

Even if you cannot donate, a simple share of this page or a prayer for Jayden’s continued healing means the world to our family. Thank you for standing with us and helping me focus on what matters most right now: getting my son back to full health.

With love and gratitude,

Jayden, Jennifer, Darrell, Angelica, Darrion, Kaliyah ♡