Henry Bayless Open Heart Surgery

My name is Emily, and I have created this fundraiser for my brother and friend, Henry Bayless. Henry and I are very close in age, with only 15 months separating us. When Henry was born he was diagnosed with a bi-cusped aortic valve, and at 12 years old doctors discovered he had a growing aortic aneurysm.

This summer, Henry will be undergoing a life-saving open heart surgery to replace his Aortic Valve and repair his Ascending Aorta via grafting. This procedure will save his life, though it will also leave him unable to return to work until October and with medical debt that will change the course of the rest of his life. With your help to achieve a goal of $10,000, I hope to alleviate some of that burden of debt and help achieve a more successful recovery with the best medical care.

About Henry’s diagnosis:

As a 12 year old boy, Henry enjoyed wrestling and football. When doctors discovered his aortic aneurysm he had to immediately stop contact sports due to this life-threatening condition. My brother is a big guy. Standing at 6’2”, Army recruiters tried to get him to enlist when he was just 14 years old, mistaking him for a full grown man. His inability to play contact sports was devastating, but also led him to discover music and pursue a life playing guitar. He has a Masters in Guitar Performance and is currently a music teacher at the Academies of Math and Science, Peoria Advanced.

Henry’s aneurysm also led him to discover a passion for bicycling, a sport that is relatively safe for patients with this condition. Twelve months ago Henry was diagnosed with diabetes, which he was able to gain control of through bicycling and changing his diet, losing 65 pounds in the process.

Amidst all these challenges and positive life changes, doctors discovered a dramatic growth of his aneurysm. Henry’s cardiac team decided it was finally time for this major surgery. Due to the size of his aorta and need for this surgery, Henry has had to stop riding completely and go on medical leave from his teaching position.

Henry’s Life Goals:

Recently Henry began pursuing a degree in nursing. In addition to music and guitar performance, he has a passion for people and an interest in medicine which naturally developed over the years as he has dealt with this diagnosis. Throughout this summer he has continued to participate and excel in his Anatomy and Physiology course. Henry would love to complete nursing school and work as an RN in a cardiac unit, helping patients like himself recover from life-saving procedures.

Henry is one of the most strong-willed, caring, compassionate, and thoughtful people I know. He has lived with this pre-existing condition his entire life. This aneurysm has had a profound impact on his daily life for years, yet he has persevered and kept a positive attitude through it all. I am the older sibling but I have always looked up to him as a role model for many reasons, just one being the amount of grace he has when approaching life. He is an inspiration to us all and I hope you will consider donating to his recovery. Thank you.

Please enjoy this recording of Henry performing "Un Día De Noviembre" by Leo Brouwer.