Help Benjamin on His Road to Recovery!

Everything changed on the last night of our family vacation in early August. Around midnight, our sweet Benjamin woke up fussing, but when we picked him up, he suddenly stopped breathing and became unresponsive. For several terrifying minutes, we thought we might lose him—he only came back after Jon began performing compressions.

We rushed to the nearest hospital in Springfield, but were brushed off and told it wasn’t serious. Deep down, we knew something was wrong. We followed up with our pediatrician, who referred us to a neurologist thinking it could have been a seizure. On the day of his EEG, the nurse practitioner noticed concerning signs and urged us to take him straight to the emergency department for a cardiology evaluation.

That decision may have saved his life. After a chest X-ray and echocardiogram, doctors discovered that Benjamin’s heart was twice the size it should be and functioning at only half its normal capacity. He was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a form of heart failure.

After a week of testing and monitoring in the hospital, doctors discovered the cause: a pinched section of his aorta. On September 5th, Benjamin underwent heart surgery to remove the damaged section. Thankfully, the surgery was a success, but his journey isn’t over. His heart needs time to heal, and he will remain in the hospital for at least two more weeks under close observation.

We are so grateful to the medical team and to everyone who has supported us through this frightening time. But the medical bills, travel costs, and time away from work are overwhelming. We are raising funds to help cover hospital expenses and the ongoing trips back and forth to the hospital while Benjamin continues his recovery.

Every donation—big or small—means the world to us and helps ease the burden so we can focus on what matters most: Benjamin’s healing, and keeping our family strong. Thank you for keeping our little boy, and our family in your prayers and for supporting us through this journey.