Please donate to this awesome cause!
For monetary donations go to: http://www.gofundme.com/5ykh20Address to send book donations:
JereBear’s Books for Babies
P.O. Box 762493
San Antonio, TX 78254
On February 6, 2013, Jeremiah Dewitt Victor was born at 23.6 weeks gestation, weighing only 1lb 2.3 oz. He had many odds against him...
1) He had a twin brother, Elijah, who was born at 18 weeks gestation and lived for a total of 9 precious minutes.
2) He was born at 23 weeks 6 days, barely considered viable.
3) He was born with a terrible infection, causing him to become septic and have severely immature lungs.
The list goes on and on but my sweet, little boy fought hard and was determined to live and love. He spent many months on a ventilator, but overcame that struggle and had decent lungs by his fifth month birthday. He overcame infections, blood transfusions, and surgery. He grew and grew and was a little chunk after several months.
Jeremiah was a sweet boy who loved to snuggle. Sometimes we wondered if he was able to breathe by how buried his face was in our chests. He loved being the center of attention and had the nurses loving on him, talking to him, and singing "Jeremiah was a Bullfrog" all of the time. He hated sneezing; he would cry for a few tiny seconds after each sneeze. Jeremiah was absolutely perfect.
On July 6, 2013 we received the phone call no parent wants to receive. Jeremiah had developed a terrible infection out of nowhere and had taken a turn for the worst. The doctors and staff tried their hardest and performed emergency bedside surgery. Jeremiah received his wings later that afternoon, a week before he was due to go home. It was his fifth month birthday.
This February marks his first birthday. Though he is no longer here in person, he is always in our hearts and we would like to celebrate his life by giving to those in need. We are collecting books and funds for books to donate to the babies and families in his NICU. Providing scared parents and families of preemies the opportunity to bond through literature with their tiny, little fighters. If we receive a good response, we would also like to donate a book about preemies to the parents of preemies. I bought myself one during my NICU stay and turned to it often when I was confused about terminology or a procedure.
Why books you might ask? Books are crucial to the development of all children, especially starting at an early age. It improves their cognitive development and sense of imagination. For preemies, it helps the bonding experience with their parents through hearing the sound of their loved one's voice, especially when they cannot be touched or held. It also helps parents speak to their babies when they are at a loss for words, are in shock, and are barely holding it together themselves. It helps mommies and daddies feel like mommies and daddies when the nurse is the primary caregiver. Lastly, Jeremiah loved books, especially "Brown Bear, Brown Bear".
Thank you for your love and support.
In memory of
Jeremiah Dewitt Victor
2/6/13 - 7/6/13
For more pictures, information, and updates go to:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JereBearsBooksforBabies?ref=br_tf
Blog (Paul Victor): http://elijerrain.blogspot.com/
