Help Rhema VonEye's Family With Complex Medical Condition

Meet Rhema Jean!

On December 11, 2024, Javon and Ange VonEye welcomed this sweet baby girl into the world through a surprise home birth. She instantly became the light of our lives!

Her surprise home birth was just the start of an uncharted beginning to parenthood for Javon and Ange. Though born in what seemed a stable condition, some indicators prompted a visit to the hospital where she would spend the next 21 days in the NICU.

Rhema was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect that changes the way blood flows to the lungs and through the heart.

She was expected to have open heart surgery around 6 months old, but due to the progression of her condition, that was moved up to March 7, 2025 (just under 3 months old). Rhema’s procedure took place at the University of Wisconsin American Family Children’s Hospital. Upon arrival and admission they discovered that the surgery would be a bit more complex than originally thought. Rhema had a few anatomical differences with the structure of her heart that varied from a typical case of Tetralogy of Fallot. This required the surgeons to operate in a way that came with a higher risk factor. Another complication they discovered during intubation was that she has a small airway. Rhema's surgery went well and the surgeons were able to do everything they needed to without any severe permanent damage

She seemed fairly stable through day 1 and 2 post-op but gave us quite a scare early Monday morning. Her breathing was disrupted by what we now believe was a blockage in her tiny airway which put her into cardiac arrest. Thankfully staff was in the room and was able to provide life saving measures. This delayed the closing of her chest while she was given time to recuperate. After several tests, they found she was also fighting a respiratory virus which contributed to the airway blockage. Praise God for his many blessings and the staff who were prepared to intervene. She now has had her chest closed and working toward the next milestone of recovery. They will likely be there a couple more weeks as Rhema heals from the surgery.

Thankfully before the delivery, Javon and Ange made a family decision for Ange to stay home to raise their daughter. While that’s a blessing in any situation, it’s all the more impactful for Ange to help Rhema with the complexity of her diagnoses. Through all of this Javon has been gearing up to start his own contracting business, Dakota Decking, and has recently passed his contractors license exam with the City of Sioux Falls. They were in the packing stages of relocating to Harrisburg when Rhema’s surgery was expedited. Their goal is to be closer to family, medical services, their church, and where Javon hopes to grow his business.

Please consider joining us in helping this young family with their financial needs as they spend this time with their sweet girl and as needs arise with ongoing care. While their insurance and other supports are a huge blessing, they will inevitably incur disrupted income and continued financial responsibilities in meeting all of Rhema’s needs.