Support Baby Leo’s Life-Saving Airway Surgery

Hi everyone,

Our names are Alex and Johnathan and we’re reaching out during an incredibly difficult and emotional time for our family. Our sweet 12-month-old son, Leo, was recently diagnosed with severe tracheomalacia resulting in an 80% collapse of his airway, making breathing very difficult. This diagnosis comes following his TEF repair he had when he was an infant, which required two surgeries and a month long NICU stay.

In order to help Leo breathe better, it was recommended he undergo a critical surgery called a Tracheopexy. This 9 hour, complex and specialized procedure is essential to help open Leo’s airway and improve his ability to breathe safely and comfortably. Because this surgery requires a highly specialized team, we have decided to seek out the best team who does this procedure routinely and have landed at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in Florida where we will be working with the Esophageal and Airway Treatment team.

As of now, his Tracheopexy is scheduled for September 3rd. We’ll be arriving in Florida on August 27th for pre-op care, and Leo will remain in the hospital for 5 to 7 days of recovery after surgery on September 3rd. It will be a long two weeks away from home, work, and our support system, but being there for Leo every step of the way is our top priority.

While we are endlessly grateful that there is a path forward for Leo’s health, the financial strain of this journey is more than we can manage alone. Between travel, meals, transportation, unpaid time off work, and out-of-pocket medical costs, it’s simply too much.

Any contribution—no matter how small—will go directly toward:

Your generosity—whether through a donation, a kind word, or keeping Leo in your thoughts—means the world to us. Even if you’re unable to give, sharing this fundraiser with friends, family, or your community would help more than you know. Every share helps bring us one step closer to getting Leo the care he needs.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

With love and gratitude,

Alex, Johnathan and Leo