Over the past year, Matthew & Kristen Smith have been expecting to welcome twin boys this fall. On November 2, 2021 the story began to shift when they could no longer detect the heartbeat of one of the babies. As a result the family rushed to the hospital for Kristen to undergo an emergency cesarean procedure which resulted in the birth of their son Koa Sabey Smith; this is also where they discovered their son Oak Rocky Smith did not survive. Koa Sabey (whose name stands for “Warrior” or “Brave One”) had some breathing complications and was transported on emergency to another hospital approximately 24 hours after his birth with his mother recovering in the original hospital. Since Koa’s emergency transport, he required IV fluids, oxygen, imaging, medication and a feeding tube with 24 hour supervision. Koa Sabey is currently in the NICU attributed to partial paralysis of his larynx which creates potentially life threatening breathing and feeding complications. When Koa is released from the hospital he will need at home care and additional specialist care, as this is a long-term condition that requires time and a multi-modality approach to treatment.

 

By contributing to this fund you are directly supporting the family through this time as they take care of their son Koa, prepare arrangements for their son Oak, and counteract the current increasing medical costs.

If you are looking for a sustainable way to support the family you can purchase Matthew's art for friends and family members. His art can be found on his website, Matthew Sabey Art.