Hello friends, and Happy Holidays!

My name is Kaitlyn, and I’m creating this GoFundMe on behalf of my dear friends Faith, Brandon, and their newborn warrior son, Delijah.

If you know Faith, you know she’s one of the kindest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. She and Brandon are God-fearing, compassionate, and hardworking — the kind of friends who would give you the shirt off their back. Faith works tirelessly at a local veterinary clinic, caring for animals and everyone around her, and she never asks for help.

That’s why I’m stepping in — to try and ease just a little bit of the incredible stress she and Brandon are facing right now. Thank you so much for taking the time to read their story — it truly means the world.

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Our names are Faith and Brandon, and we are the proud parents of our miracle baby boy, Delijah.

When we found out we were expecting in December 2024, we were filled with excitement and dreams for our little family. But late in the pregnancy, we received devastating news — our son would be born with spina bifida, a birth defect where the spinal cord doesn’t close properly during development. We were told he would need immediate surgery after birth, so we prepared to deliver at UC Davis Medical Center — over two hours away from our home in Reno, Nevada.

We thought we’d only be gone for a short time. We never imagined how much our world was about to change.

When Delijah was born on August 19, 2025, he was rushed straight to the NICU. He couldn’t breathe on his own and had to be intubated immediately. Doctors soon discovered that his condition was far more severe than expected — a rare form called sacral myeloschisis, where the spinal cord remains completely open and exposed. This type of spina bifida can cause paralysis or weakness in the legs, orthopedic complications, and loss of bladder and bowel control.

In his short time on this earth, our little warrior has already been through more than most of us could ever imagine. He’s endured three spinal surgeries, a shunt placement to relieve pressure on his brain, and four failed attempts to remove his breathing tube because his airways were just too weak. He also had to undergo a shunt revision surgery, and most recently, the hardest and most terrifying procedure yet — a tracheostomy. During this surgery, doctors placed a permanent breathing tube to help him breathe safely, and at the same time, inserted a G-tube so he could be fed since he’s unable to swallow on his own.

Watching our sweet boy go through so much has been heartbreaking, but his strength and will to fight amaze us every single day. Even through the pain and the countless hospital stays, he continues to show us what true courage looks like. He’s our little miracle — our reminder of faith, hope, and unconditional love.

Delijah will need lifelong care and will remain fully dependent on us as he grows, but we are committed to giving him the best life possible. Every day, we thank God for blessing us with him and for the chance to keep fighting alongside our son.

Delijah also battles a Chiari II malformation, which affects his brain and breathing, along with apnea, severe secretions, and dangerously low oxygen levels. He’s also being closely monitored for possible hearing loss, a side effect from his fight against severe bacterial meningitis. Our brave boy battled this life-threatening brain infection for two long months during the very first stages of his life — a time when doctors feared he wouldn’t survive. But our little miracle proved them wrong. Through every surgery, every setback, and every sleepless night, Delijah continues to fight with a strength and courage that touch every heart around him.

We spend every moment we can by his side. Because of his fragile condition, Delijah requires two caregivers around the clock — someone always awake to monitor his oxygen, suction his airway, and make sure he’s breathing safely. Our greatest dream is to bring him home, but to do that, our house needs to be equipped like a mini hospital with specialized medical equipment and supplies.

Unfortunately, our insurance has denied coverage for his transfer home, calling it “not medically necessary.” In the meantime, we’ve done everything we can to stay close to him — even sleeping in our car outside the hospital at times when we had nowhere else to go. We’ve fallen behind on rent and car payments, and we were recently involved in a three-car accident while traveling to visit him. To make things even harder, Brandon’s brother passed away in June, just before our son was born.

It’s been the most heartbreaking and humbling experience of our lives. We’ve lost so much, but we haven’t lost hope.

This Christmas, all we want is to bring our baby boy home - to hold him in our arms, and to give him the comfort of home surrounded by love.

We’re asking for help to cover basic living expenses, travel costs, and the medical equipment needed to safely care for Delijah at home once he’s strong enough to leave the hospital. Every donation, every prayer, and every share brings us one step closer to making that dream come true.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us, for believing in our little warrior, and for helping us fight to bring Baby Delijah home for Christmas.

With love and gratitude,

Faith & Brandon

(Delijah’s Mom and Dad)