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Here is the story of my beautiful nephew Ryder Benjamin John Lebo in the words of his sweet Momma, Caitlin:
“April 20, 2018 was just another ordinary day until I decided to take a pregnancy test. There was nothing special going on I just felt different somehow. The test came back as an instant positive and I was overwhelmed with joy. I was so excited to tell my husband about the new addition we would be adding to our family.
A few weeks later we went for a routine sonogram and everything looked perfect but that perfection was short-lived. On Fourth of July weekend I was winding down my day as usual. I had just gotten into the shower. To my surprise and shock I felt unusually warm so I looked down, BLOOD. It was everywhere and it was just pouring out of me. I was 16 weeks pregnant “Could I be losing the baby?” I didn’t know so I called 911. I was immediately rushed to the hospital and sent for a sonogram. I feared the worst that my baby was dead. However, a few moments later the heart became pounding away across the screen our baby was totally fine. Kicking away and doing flips. I was diagnosed with complete placenta previa and told to see a specialist as soon as possible. For the next six weeks I went for a sonogram every week to check on the baby and make sure that I wasn’t going into labor. At 22 weeks they found that our son had a hole in his heart. They couldn’t give us any other information other than that the hole was quite large and would most likely need surgery after birth. At 26 weeks pregnant I hemorrhaged again and was forced to remain in the hospital for two weeks in October 2018. Baby boy was fine but because I was bleeding my body continually tried to put me into labor in order to fix itself. I was released from the hospital and put on strict restrictions.
At 35 weeks I had another hemorrhaging episode and was once again rushed to the hospital. That evening the doctors sat down and decided to deliver the baby the next week. Our beautiful baby boy was born on November 27, 2018. A whole month earlier than expected. We choose to name our miracle boy Ryder Benjamin John Lebo. This name did not come without some greatness and tears.
Ryder means “Warrior” so what better to pay tribute to his own struggles that he is overcoming.
Benjamin was the name of my husband's twin brother who died at 7 months. Both boys were born at 22 weeks premature and were warriors themselves. I am so grateful to have my husband here today and honored to have my son share his brother's name.
John is after my father who passed away in 2011. A great man and father are just a few words to describe him. I hope and pray my son can be those very things.
We were overjoyed that our Little Warrior fought through the long battle and was finally here. However, being born more than a month early, we knew this was just the beginning.
Our next hurdle was the hole in his heart. After taking him away and doing a sonogram they found that he had not only one but two holes in his heart. Holes that would most definitely require surgery. The catch you ask? He was too tiny to do surgery on. For the next few months it was doctor’s appointments every two weeks to ensure that his heart would hold out long enough. He had to be on a special high caloric diet in order to maintain the calories he was burning from his heart working overtime.
On February 6, 2019 our son received open heart surgery to repair the holes in his heart along with his pulmonary valve. After eight long hours of surgery the surgeon came out and said it was successful.
We still have such a long road with doctors appointments. But I am so grateful my son is here today. And in case anyone was wondering...
This right here is a fraction of the cost the world thinks my sons life is worth:
$41,000
41 thousand dollars to give my son a life worth living...
41 thousand dollars to ensure he can be with us...
41 thousand dollars to be “afforded” the opportunity to have a son...
41 thousand dollars to have the chance of seeing his smiles...
41 thousand dollars to watch him grow up and become a man...
41 thousand dollars to give him a life where he could finally relax...
41 thousand dollars worth of tears and stress to hold my son...
41 thousand dollars of sleepless nights wondering if his heart would make it...
This is just a fraction of the cost it doesn’t include all the appointments we went to. It doesn’t cover the gas. It doesn’t cover the parking. It’s doesn’t cover the hours of work lost.
But let me tell you what. He is worth it. He is priceless. He is the light of my life. Ryder you are my warrior.”
Please join us to help our Little Warrior and his family. Help our Ryder and his family fight this fight. No amount of money is too small, no single prayer will go unheard. Become one of Ryder’s Warriors today.
“April 20, 2018 was just another ordinary day until I decided to take a pregnancy test. There was nothing special going on I just felt different somehow. The test came back as an instant positive and I was overwhelmed with joy. I was so excited to tell my husband about the new addition we would be adding to our family.
A few weeks later we went for a routine sonogram and everything looked perfect but that perfection was short-lived. On Fourth of July weekend I was winding down my day as usual. I had just gotten into the shower. To my surprise and shock I felt unusually warm so I looked down, BLOOD. It was everywhere and it was just pouring out of me. I was 16 weeks pregnant “Could I be losing the baby?” I didn’t know so I called 911. I was immediately rushed to the hospital and sent for a sonogram. I feared the worst that my baby was dead. However, a few moments later the heart became pounding away across the screen our baby was totally fine. Kicking away and doing flips. I was diagnosed with complete placenta previa and told to see a specialist as soon as possible. For the next six weeks I went for a sonogram every week to check on the baby and make sure that I wasn’t going into labor. At 22 weeks they found that our son had a hole in his heart. They couldn’t give us any other information other than that the hole was quite large and would most likely need surgery after birth. At 26 weeks pregnant I hemorrhaged again and was forced to remain in the hospital for two weeks in October 2018. Baby boy was fine but because I was bleeding my body continually tried to put me into labor in order to fix itself. I was released from the hospital and put on strict restrictions.
At 35 weeks I had another hemorrhaging episode and was once again rushed to the hospital. That evening the doctors sat down and decided to deliver the baby the next week. Our beautiful baby boy was born on November 27, 2018. A whole month earlier than expected. We choose to name our miracle boy Ryder Benjamin John Lebo. This name did not come without some greatness and tears.
Ryder means “Warrior” so what better to pay tribute to his own struggles that he is overcoming.
Benjamin was the name of my husband's twin brother who died at 7 months. Both boys were born at 22 weeks premature and were warriors themselves. I am so grateful to have my husband here today and honored to have my son share his brother's name.
John is after my father who passed away in 2011. A great man and father are just a few words to describe him. I hope and pray my son can be those very things.
We were overjoyed that our Little Warrior fought through the long battle and was finally here. However, being born more than a month early, we knew this was just the beginning.
Our next hurdle was the hole in his heart. After taking him away and doing a sonogram they found that he had not only one but two holes in his heart. Holes that would most definitely require surgery. The catch you ask? He was too tiny to do surgery on. For the next few months it was doctor’s appointments every two weeks to ensure that his heart would hold out long enough. He had to be on a special high caloric diet in order to maintain the calories he was burning from his heart working overtime.
On February 6, 2019 our son received open heart surgery to repair the holes in his heart along with his pulmonary valve. After eight long hours of surgery the surgeon came out and said it was successful.
We still have such a long road with doctors appointments. But I am so grateful my son is here today. And in case anyone was wondering...
This right here is a fraction of the cost the world thinks my sons life is worth:
$41,000
41 thousand dollars to give my son a life worth living...
41 thousand dollars to ensure he can be with us...
41 thousand dollars to be “afforded” the opportunity to have a son...
41 thousand dollars to have the chance of seeing his smiles...
41 thousand dollars to watch him grow up and become a man...
41 thousand dollars to give him a life where he could finally relax...
41 thousand dollars worth of tears and stress to hold my son...
41 thousand dollars of sleepless nights wondering if his heart would make it...
This is just a fraction of the cost it doesn’t include all the appointments we went to. It doesn’t cover the gas. It doesn’t cover the parking. It’s doesn’t cover the hours of work lost.
But let me tell you what. He is worth it. He is priceless. He is the light of my life. Ryder you are my warrior.”
Please join us to help our Little Warrior and his family. Help our Ryder and his family fight this fight. No amount of money is too small, no single prayer will go unheard. Become one of Ryder’s Warriors today.
