Six months ago, we started a GoFundMe for these soon-to-be parents who were pregnant with a little boy who would be born with multiple congenital heart defects and would need immediate and multiple open heart surgeries in order to survive. Since then, Hayes Merritt Kemper entered the world, and every single dollar raised for him has gone towards his open heart surgery, two cardiac catheterizations, months of his life in the ICU, and countless other procedures and therapies. After his most recent surgery, Kylie and Jake thought they were in the clear. They knew he would need more surgeries as he grew, but he was stable and they were able to go home and finally enjoy life with their little one.

A few weeks after his discharge home, Hayes began declining again, and it is with the heaviest heart that I find myself back here asking for help from the community. Hayes was diagnosed with Pulmonary Vein Stenosis (PVS), a rare lung disorder that will spread over time and eventually take over both of his lungs. It is a diagnosis that the doctors were not expecting, and one that has severely shifted his quality of life and treatment plans. The doctors feel the higher elevation in Colorado is negatively effecting his lungs, so Kylie and Jake will be moving home and relocating his care to hospitals on the east coast that are more specialized towards his lung diagnosis, all the while still treating his ongoing cardiac conditions. There are a lot of uncertainties that they face right now, but they are doing every possible thing they can to take care of their sweet boy.

This picture was taken three weeks ago, right before he was airlifted to their hospital in Denver and given his PVS diagnosis in the days following. He is the sweetest, happiest, and most cuddly boy, and it breaks every bit of my heart that this is happening to him. There isn’t much that I can do to change their situation, but at the very least my hope is that through this fundraiser, we can give them freedom to tackle his treatments head on and without the financial restraints that they would otherwise face. Please feel free to spread the word, donate if you can, and know that we are all so grateful for the help you’re giving to sweet little Hayes.