![Main fundraiser photo](https://images.gofundme.com/cuu3wP2POptB1rA_e23e9IymoA4=/720x405/https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556816351490370_r.jpeg)
Amber's Mission: Raising Ryker
Donation protected
Challenges reveal a lot about a person’s character, and my niece Amber Borton is teaching me about strength, endurance and a mother’s love every single day. I’m Kelly Bowe and I’ve known Amber since she was a little girl when I started dating her Uncle Darin. She was by our side while Darin bravely fought his cancer diagnosis, and now it’s Amber who needs the love and support of family and friends. If you don’t know Amber, I know you’d love her just as much as I do.
Background
Amber is a busy single mom who loves her sons, her extended family, friends, and co-workers at Eau Claire's Northstar Middle School. She’d rather be interacting with her boys, watching Drake play hockey at Hobbs and Dawson play flag football, or coordinating events with families through the Locust Lane PTO than just about anything else. Life as a single parent was joyful, busy and rewarding and Amber is a loving and attentive mom. I have always admired her great attitude and willingness to work hard and make the best of every situation.
Ryker's Arrival
Last fall, Amber gave birth to her beautiful little boy, Ryker Kendon Borton. He is precious and charms everyone he meets. Big brothers Drake and Dawson adore him and are devoted to caring for him in any way possible.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_155682066568993_r.jpeg)
Ryker was born with significant challenges that Amber could never have imagined. To make a complex medical story as understandable as possible, Ryker was born with areas of his brain that are both under-developed and undeveloped. The cause of this anomaly is not yet known, but the impact on his health has been immense. Ryker has very low muscle tone and the impacted areas of his brain effect motor control and coordination. Ryker cannot eat on his own and is fed through a G-tube. He cannot swallow his own saliva, causing him to gag and sometimes vomit, so Amber has to suction out his mouth and throat continuously throughout the day and night.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818154584708_r.jpeg)
He has difficulty breathing and also has sleep apnea, so he is on oxygen at night because his brain does not always send the signals to breathe. Amber cannot even drive him alone in the car right now due to the breathing and choking issues, so family or friends drive them whenever they need to go somewhere.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818222356723_r.jpeg)
Ryker has had several surgical procedures, many trips to Rochester Mayo for tests and treatments, and Amber has quickly learned to become Ryker’s full time nurse, as well as his loving mama. She amazes me with her ability to be exhausted and fearful, and yet so strong and full of hope.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818453539489_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556819299658382_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818584678526_r.jpeg)
The Dilemma
As you can imagine by reading above, Ryker needs 24-hour a day medical care and nurturing from Amber. At this time, she is not able to return to work because he is too medically fragile to go to a daycare. This is why I started this Go Fund Me campaign on her behalf.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556819227643576_r.jpeg)
The Need
Amber needs to raise Ryker; no one else can do it as lovingly or as patiently as she does. But her bills are starting to pile up and I dearly want for her to be able to focus on the things that matter at this time.
I am humbly asking those of you who know Amber, me, or the friend who shared this page with you, to consider making a financial gift to help Amber cover expenses while she is on leave from her job. I have set a goal for this campaign of $25,000, but as you can imagine she does not know when she will be able to return to work. Being the hard working, strong, independent mother she is, Amber is humbled by the need to ask all of you for help. But no one can love and care for Ryker like she does.
I’m so grateful that God is carrying Amber and the boys right now. My faith tells me that “every good and perfect gift is from above,” and so we both thank you for your care, your prayers, your financial gifts and your friendship. Amber never imagined she would be in the position of needing this help, and she thanks you from the bottom of her heart.
If you prefer to mail your contribution, please remit to:
Royal Credit Union
Attn: Amber Borton/Kelly Bowe GoFundMe
419 N. Hastings Place
Eau Claire, WI 54703
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556820953302436_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556822378474122_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556822431571710_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556822820568412_r.jpeg)
Background
Amber is a busy single mom who loves her sons, her extended family, friends, and co-workers at Eau Claire's Northstar Middle School. She’d rather be interacting with her boys, watching Drake play hockey at Hobbs and Dawson play flag football, or coordinating events with families through the Locust Lane PTO than just about anything else. Life as a single parent was joyful, busy and rewarding and Amber is a loving and attentive mom. I have always admired her great attitude and willingness to work hard and make the best of every situation.
Ryker's Arrival
Last fall, Amber gave birth to her beautiful little boy, Ryker Kendon Borton. He is precious and charms everyone he meets. Big brothers Drake and Dawson adore him and are devoted to caring for him in any way possible.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_155682066568993_r.jpeg)
Ryker was born with significant challenges that Amber could never have imagined. To make a complex medical story as understandable as possible, Ryker was born with areas of his brain that are both under-developed and undeveloped. The cause of this anomaly is not yet known, but the impact on his health has been immense. Ryker has very low muscle tone and the impacted areas of his brain effect motor control and coordination. Ryker cannot eat on his own and is fed through a G-tube. He cannot swallow his own saliva, causing him to gag and sometimes vomit, so Amber has to suction out his mouth and throat continuously throughout the day and night.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818154584708_r.jpeg)
He has difficulty breathing and also has sleep apnea, so he is on oxygen at night because his brain does not always send the signals to breathe. Amber cannot even drive him alone in the car right now due to the breathing and choking issues, so family or friends drive them whenever they need to go somewhere.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818222356723_r.jpeg)
Ryker has had several surgical procedures, many trips to Rochester Mayo for tests and treatments, and Amber has quickly learned to become Ryker’s full time nurse, as well as his loving mama. She amazes me with her ability to be exhausted and fearful, and yet so strong and full of hope.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818453539489_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556819299658382_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556818584678526_r.jpeg)
The Dilemma
As you can imagine by reading above, Ryker needs 24-hour a day medical care and nurturing from Amber. At this time, she is not able to return to work because he is too medically fragile to go to a daycare. This is why I started this Go Fund Me campaign on her behalf.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556819227643576_r.jpeg)
The Need
Amber needs to raise Ryker; no one else can do it as lovingly or as patiently as she does. But her bills are starting to pile up and I dearly want for her to be able to focus on the things that matter at this time.
I am humbly asking those of you who know Amber, me, or the friend who shared this page with you, to consider making a financial gift to help Amber cover expenses while she is on leave from her job. I have set a goal for this campaign of $25,000, but as you can imagine she does not know when she will be able to return to work. Being the hard working, strong, independent mother she is, Amber is humbled by the need to ask all of you for help. But no one can love and care for Ryker like she does.
I’m so grateful that God is carrying Amber and the boys right now. My faith tells me that “every good and perfect gift is from above,” and so we both thank you for your care, your prayers, your financial gifts and your friendship. Amber never imagined she would be in the position of needing this help, and she thanks you from the bottom of her heart.
If you prefer to mail your contribution, please remit to:
Royal Credit Union
Attn: Amber Borton/Kelly Bowe GoFundMe
419 N. Hastings Place
Eau Claire, WI 54703
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556820953302436_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556822378474122_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556822431571710_r.jpeg)
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/38939786_1556822820568412_r.jpeg)
Organizer
Kelly Bowe
Organizer
Altoona, WI