Here for The Halseys

Hello,

My name is Danica O’Barr. I created this fundraiser on behalf of my sister, Danijela, and her husband, Bill. I’m asking for help in providing their family financial assistance as they try to navigate and grieve the tragic loss of their son, Baker. On May 24th, 2022, Baker was born sleeping at 30 weeks gestation due to a lethal form of skeletal dysplasia.

On top of being committed parents to Bennett (2) and Brooke (1) — Danijela and Bill both work demanding jobs. They are also both in new positions, which means PTO and leave time are hard to come by. Financial burdens should be the last thing on their mind as they try to navigate life through the unimaginable pain that comes with losing a child.

All donations will go towards their medical bills, monthly expenses, and cremation/memorial services for Baker.

Thank you so much.

-Danica

Here is the beautiful tribute Danijela wrote and shared on social media:

⚠️stillbirth/infant loss⚠️ “I’m so sorry but your baby has a lethal form of skeletal dysplasia..he will not be able to survive outside of your body..” . 

At our 13 week scan, we found out our baby had more fluid around his neck than normal. We were told this was a significant marker for Down syndrome or a different chromosomal abnormality. We were given the option to take DNA samples out of my placenta and send them off to be tested. We held our breath for what seemed like forever and 4 weeks later we got the call saying everything with his chromosomes came back normal along with the genetics portion and that we were expecting a little boy. It felt like we were finally able to breathe.  

Fast forward to our anatomy scan at 20 weeks. Everything seemed to be going great. The ultrasound tech who had done both Ben and Brooke’s anatomy scan was there laughing with us when she suddenly fell silent and I could just tell something wasn’t right. “How sure are you about your conception date?” She question. I told her I was pretty sure since we were trying to get pregnant the month we conceived him. She let us know that the doctor was going to come in and speak with us. After preforming his own scan, the doctor told us that our sons limbs were measuring 4 weeks behind and that this could be a sign of skeletal dysplasia but only time would tell. We were told to return in 4 weeks to see if his limbs would start catching up or fall even more behind. He told us not to worry and that if it was skeletal dysplasia, it looked like a very mild form and he would still live a full life.

At our 24 week scan we went in optimistic and really feeling like he had caught up to where he needed to be. The scan was done in silence. We could see on the screen as they measured his femur and his humerus that they were both reading 18 weeks and not 24 weeks like it should be. This put him even further behind with his limbs now measuring in the less than 1 percentile range. We had also learned at this time that his spine was measuring short as well. The maternal fetal medicine doctor suggested we switch from our current OB to someone high risk in order to deliver at a level III NICU since babies with skeletal dysplasia have a higher risk of problems that needed to be addressed right after delivery . 

Before I could even sit down at my new high risk OB, I was informed that we had an appointment that following week at the Chicago Institute of Fetal Health in order to get some more testing done to confirm his diagnosis. We woke up at 4:00am and drove to Lurie Children’s where this institute is located. Once there, it seemed as if the testing never stopped. We had a fetal MRI, a level II growth scan, an fetal echocardiogram, an amniocentesis, and blood work. We met with social work, a genetic counselor, a high risk maternal fetal medicine doctor, a fetal radiologist, and a neonatologist. At the end of all of our testing we were brought into a board room where we got the news that our son had a lethal form of skeletal dysplasia and if he did not pass in utero, he would not live for more than a few minutes after birth. We were informed that he would be unable to eat, unable to cry, and would pass away due to respiratory failure shortly after he was born. The only option that they would be able to offer us, if we made it to delivery, was to keep him comfortable so that he would be able to pass away peacefully in as little distress as possible. 

In just once sentence our world was flipped upside down. We stepped out of that meeting and collapsed into each other’s arms crying. We couldn’t understand why this was happening to our baby. All the hopes and dreams we had for him were just taken away in an instant. We left the institute knowing that we only had a short time left with him until we would have to say goodbye. 

This morning our son Baker Steven was born sleeping. He had peacefully passed away in my belly knowing nothing but love. He had his daddy’s nose and moms lips. He looked exactly like his older brother and sister. I am so thankful for the 30 weeks we had with him and getting the chance to watch him move and grow inside of me. His kicks are a memory I will cherish forever. 

Baker, when you died a part of us died with you. I do not know how we will ever be able to overcome this. Until we meet again sweet boy, save a spot for me next to you and Grandpa Steve. I love you more than anything ❤️