Mason Reil

Many of you know that Melanie and I are expecting our fourth child this October. We were delighted to hear that it would be a boy and we chose the name Mason. At 20 weeks, we were saddened to learn that our baby had some developmental problems with his brain, but did not know much more at that point. We continued to hope and pray that our little guy would grow strong and healthy. 

Recently, we were sent to a specialist in Raleigh, which is a few hours from our home.  Mason was diagnosed with Cerebellar Agensis, a very rare condition which means he does not have a cerebellum. This part of the brain is very important for things like movement and balance, but can also cause developmental delays in many forms. This type of condition can also co-exist with other malformations, which we are unable to determine at this point before birth. 

At this point there is so much unknown. What we do know is that we need help. We know that we need to travel to the specialist in Raleigh weekly, leaving our other children often with babysitters until Mason is born. We do know that Mason will need to be born in Raleigh.  We know he'll require immediate surgery after birth, and most likely have a lengthy NICU stay. Thankfully, nearly all medical expenses will be covered by our military health insurance. As the reality of Mason's diagnosis sinks in, we have begun to realize that medical insurance does not cover necessary things like travel expenses (gas, food, and hotels), child care for our other children, and the strain on our monthly budget and finances. 


It is very hard for us to admit that we can't do this on our own. I come from a family that values independence and hard work. I have devoted my career to the army which has reinforced those values. I hope that every dollar that we have donated to us in our time of need will be paid forward to others when we are in the position to do so. I'd like to thank you in advance for any donation, love and prayers, and understanding. We will update this as often as we can. 


With much love,
Sergeant First Class Tim and Melanie Reil .