Help Heartbroken Family After Losing Baby

Losing a newborn infant to death is an almost impossible task to move on from. It is also arguably the worst pain a human being can bear. It is precisely that task and that pain that Margie and Bobby La Fond and their five-year old son Noah lived through this April and May. Now, that task and pain have been further complicated and added to by the mountain of medical bills and living expenses that the family has encountered due to all the complications surrounding Baby Benji's health at birth.

Thank you for viewing our fund me page. We know you have thousands of options to donate your limited funds, and we appreciate that you are taking the time to read our family's story.

Hi, I'm Nancy, Margie's mom, Benji, and Noah's grandma. This past year has been heart-rending. From the first ultrasound Margie had in September 2021 that revealed several possible health problems in the fetus she was carrying; throughout the fall and winter when further tests revealed that the baby had a congenital heart condition called Double Outlet Right Ventricle, through Benjamin's birth on April 16th, into the following week when more disabilities were diagnosed almost daily, and up to the day Benji left this earthly world for his Heavenly Father.

Benjamin's disabilities were severe and devastating. Although the pediatric cardiologist had been highly optimistic during Margie's pregnancy, the heart problem could not even be addressed once Benji was born and all other issues became known. Benji's biggest and most immediate concern was that he had severe CHARGE Syndrome that caused him to be deaf, blind, and - MOST IMPORTANTLY - altered the anatomy of his throat to the extent that his breathing and swallowing were severely affected. All of the doctors and specialists involved with Benjamin's case believed that Benjamin would not survive ANY surgery.

When Baby Benji was two weeks old, the doctors told Margie & Bobby the devastating news. The options were severely limited. They could insist on the heart surgery, although the doctors did not believe he would survive any surgery. They could leave him at the hospital in hospice care. Or, they could take him home under hospice care, where he could be with the family, be held, loved, and cared for 24x7 by Mommy and Daddy, brother Noah, and other friends and family could meet him and love him. After a weekend of prayers, and talking to our Pastor, Margie, Bobby, and Noah took Baby Benji home. He was 18 days old.

During this weekend of prayer and deliberation, Baby Benji was baptized into God's Kingdom by a very close friend Jonathon, with Mommy, Daddy, brother Noah, Grandma (Gaga), and Nurse Sara attending. It was the most beautiful and meaningful baptism I have ever participated in. Benjamin was wearing an heirloom baptismal gown sewn by his Great-Great-Grandma Turk for his Great-Grandma Bryce's baptism in 1935. This was the first time Noah met Baby Benji physically and was totally in love with his little brother. He couldn't hold him enough.

Once Baby Benji came home from the hospital, friends and family had the opportunity to finally meet him. He met all the people who had been helping Mommy and Daddy out while he was born and in the hospital. Benji was so very much loved.

Although the doctors had said they did not know how long Benji would survive, we were only blessed with a week. Sadly, and in too short a time, Baby Benji died peacefully in his mother's arms on May 11th. He was only 25 days old.

For two months, from early April through the end of May, Margie and Bobby dedicated their lives to Benji and Noah. Although Margie was a full-time substitute teacher, she was still classified as a temp. When she went on maternity leave, it was UNPAID. Bobby got a couple weeks of paid paternity leave, but after that ran out, he went on FMLA, and most of his time off was also UNPAID. Bobby did NOT return to work after his paternity leave ran out because of all of Benjamin's health issues. When they decided to bring Benji home, they knew it would not be long before he passed away, and Bobby did not want to leave Margie alone with Noah and Benji and have to face any tragedy alone, hence the FMLA. The end result was they had no income for almost two months. ZERO income. No rent money, no food money, no utilities. They used up what little savings they had and family and friends helped as much as possible to ensure they would not lose their apartment.

While Bobby is now back at work and Margie has worked a short, part-time summer teaching job, she does not return to work full time until September. Unfortunately, the hospital bills are multitudinous, including dozens of CAT scans, heart scans, blood work, specialists, fourteen days in NICU, and numerous other charges way too many to count. But they are adding up to tens of thousands.

Over $25,000 already. THEIR SHARE. AFTER INSURANCE. Some have already been sent to collection.

There is nothing that will take away the pain of losing a child. That pain alone is devastating and can and does affect you for years. No amount of money will ever heal that pain. Trying to deal with this loss coupled with massive bills that constantly remind you of what you HAVE LOST increases the pain exponentially. We cannot alleviate the pain of Margie & Bobby's loss of their baby son Benji. If you are so moved and there is anything you can do to help them find financial stability in paying these bills and their summer rent and utilities, however, it would be greatly appreciated.