Donate now: New family grateful for Variety Compassion Fund after 45 days in NICU

MARION, Iowa (KCRG) - Looking back on 2020, the year could seem like a coal chunk in a stocking for Jordyn Redmond and Andrew Miller when a tree fell on their home during the derecho. But the way they see it, it’s more like a Christmas miracle with the arrival of their son.

When their baby arrived ten weeks early this spring, Variety’s Compassion fund helped the new parents with the unexpected extras.

Little baby Parker’s birthday in April was also the scariest day of his father’s life. That morning, Redmond woke up unable to see, barely able to walk, and had a seizure at the hospital. Redmond said medical staff prepared Miller to be ready for the worst, for both her and the baby.

An emergency C-section brought Parker to the world ten weeks premature at just 2 lbs. 6 oz. He was born so early he needed to be on oxygen while he learned how to breathe. The new parents and Parker stayed at the NICU for 45 days.

They left the NICU on May 20, ahead of his original due date on June 10. The Compassion Fund from Variety helped to make life during those weeks in the hospital a little more normal, even helping Parker with some special clothes of his own.

Arriving so soon, his mom and dad had to get him a new, ‘size preemie’ wardrobe.

“The funds from them really did help us a lot with unexpected everything, bills, gas, clothes, food, it really did help us because we did not expect this,” Redmond said.

Miller stayed with Redmond and the baby at the hospital, and the gas money spent traveling from there, to work, to take care of their animals, and back to the hospital, added up.

“We thought we were prepared financially for the situation, but when it comes a couple months early, at that point Jordan’s taking off work, I’m taking off work, there’s unexpected expenses that come up,” Miller said.

Parker came home with no medical problems.

“He is perfect,” Redmond said. “He is just small for his age, but he is developing really, really well,” Redmond said.

“It helped us,” said Miller. “It changed us when we were at the hospital, and we are just forever grateful about it.”

To donate to Variety’s Compassion Fund, call 319-378-6400 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Or donate on their website anytime at https://www.varietyiowa.com/grants-programs/compassion-fund/.

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