Our 9 week old son, Luca Howell, who has Down's syndrome, is currently on life support at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. What began as jaundice led to his admission to Dayton Children's on January 5, 2025, where we learned he has severe liver disease and a malformation of the liver. After five days, Luca was transferred to Cincinnati because his condition was too complex for the smaller hospital. At birth, we were made aware of a bicuspid valve and narrowing in the aorta with his heart, as well as pulmonary hypertension, which has caused him lung issues. On Friday, January 16th, Luca took a tragic and quick turn for the worst and was transferred to the PICU, where he was immediately sedated and put on a ventilator. He has some upcoming procedures to try to get more answers, but we aren't sure how long he will be on the ventilator, let alone when he might be discharged to go home.


Due to being an hour and a half from home, we have been staying in hotels and Air bnbs. Lodging and food expenses have taken a toll on us and our family financially. With help, we can extend our Air Bnb stay and get groceries, so we can remain close to Luca and care for him during this critical time.


Our sweet boy, Luca, does not deserve anything that he's going through. He does, however, deserve to have his mom and dad by his side. Watching helplessly as your baby seems near lifeless in a hospital bed is a pain that I would wish on no one. Taylor and I can't thank our community and supporters enough for the prayers that they've included us in, and if you wish to donate, please know that we are more than grateful for any and all support we can get during the most difficult time in our lives. This has been an eye opener for us both. Life is fragile and should never be taken for granted, especially having healthy children. Thank you so much for all of your love and support, from the bottoms of our hearts!