Help Support Baby Ryker and Family Through A Medical Crisis

On July 9 at 12:06 a.m., Kodie and Dylan welcomed their beautiful baby boy, Ryker, into the world — but what was meant to be a peaceful, joyous moment quickly became a nightmare no family should ever have to endure.

After just a few pushes, Ryker’s heartbeat disappeared. In an instant, Kodie was rushed in for an emergency C-section. For three agonizing hours, Dylan and the family waited for updates, unsure if either mother or baby would survive.

Ryker was born with no oxygen to the brain for over 10 minutes. He had to be resuscitated, placed on a ventilator, and immediately transported to WVU Children’s NICU. In those first fragile hours, Ryker suffered three seizures. Kodie had lost a significant amount of blood and required multiple transfusions. Neither parent was able to hold their newborn son before he was taken to WVU Children's NICU.

Ryker's Journey in the NICU

At just hours old, Ryker was connected to an EEG, a ventilator, oxygen, and placed in a cooling bed to protect his brain from further damage. The medical team prepared the family for a long road ahead, with concerns about brain injury and his ability to breathe and function on his own.

But Ryker is a fighter.

Since then, he has made incredible progress. He was successfully taken off the ventilator and is now breathing mostly on his own with minimal oxygen support. His MRI, EEG, and CT scans have shown no visible or telling signs of brain damage, which is a huge relief. However, because Ryker was without oxygen for over 10 minutes, doctors have explained that some damage is still likely — but the extent of its impact on his development won’t be clear until he grows.

Currently, Ryker has just two goals left to check off before he can leave the NICU:

-Breathe fully without any oxygen support

-Swallow and suckle on his own

Each step forward is worth celebrating — but the journey isn’t over yet.

Kodie’s Recovery

While staying close to Ryker, Kodie’s own recovery took a difficult turn. Her hemoglobin dropped dangerously low despite receiving two transfusions. On July 12, she needed another emergency transfusion, and her levels are still not stable. In addition, she is experiencing severe fluid buildup, which is causing swelling, discomfort, and making it extremely difficult for her to walk or move. Her pain and physical limitations have added another layer to an already overwhelming situation. Kodie remains in the hospital, and her discharge is still uncertain.

Why We’re Asking for Help

This crisis has impacted our entire family in every possible way — emotionally, physically, and financially.

Multiple family members have stayed in Morgantown for over a week, supporting Kodie, Dylan, and Ryker through every update and uncertainty. With that comes unplanned costs: meals, housing, clothing, supplies, gas, and more. Kodie and Dylan were approved for the Ronald McDonald House, but family members are still having to stay nearby, and the expenses continue to build.

So many kind people have asked, “How can we help?”

This is how.

We’re raising funds to help cover:

-Temporary housing near the hospital

-Meals and daily living costs

-Travel and gas to/from Morgantown

-Medical expenses not covered by insurance

We hate having to ask for help.

Anyone who knows our family knows that we’re usually the ones trying to give — not ask. But this time, we need to lean on the love and generosity of others.

We know there are many families in need, and it hurts our hearts to ask for help when so many others are struggling too. But for a family that always tries to show up for others, we’re in the rare position of needing to ask for that same love in return.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your prayers, your support, and your kindness during this incredibly difficult time. We will never forget it.