WAPAKONETA, OH (WLIO) - When you are expecting a baby, you know your life is going to change but the Truesdale Family never knew their baby boy would arrive with four major airway defects.
Two Wapakoneta City Schools teachers, Nick and Shelby Truesdale welcomed their new son, JJ, in October of 2021. What should have been one of the happiest times of their lives quickly took a turn for the worst, as doctors would eventually discover JJ had four major airway anomalies. He was rushed to Nationwide Children's Hospital and was not able to be taken home for the first 215 days of his life.
"He was four days old when he had his first surgery, and that was to repair his TEF/EA which was successful at four days old. JJ has had nine major surgeries, and he's had countless times where he's had to go to the OR for bronchoscopes, some things of that nature," says Nick Truesdale, Father, 4th Grade Wapakoneta City Schools Teacher.
At one month old, doctors had to place a g-tube for feeding, since he wasn't able to swallow. His trachea is also weak and prone to collapse, so he needed a tracheostomy at six months old to help him breathe. But the latest checkups show that JJ is improving- and should be healthy enough to have his tracheostoma removed within the next 2 to 5 years.
"We're hoping that eventually, too, the g-tube can come out and he should go on to grow up and have no trach and no g-tube and be just like any other little kid running around," says Shelby Truesdale, Mother, 5th Grade Wapakoneta City Schools Teacher.
Though his family has had to make many trips to the hospital and spend many nights away from him during his treatments, JJ receives endless support from the community of Wapakoneta and even his two-year-old sister.
"She knows way more about trachs than any other little two-year-old probably and I truly believe she thinks that all little brothers come with trachs. She loves him so much," Shelby adds.
Last month, the Truesdale Family received a call from a restaurant in Oswald, Ohio called Do Good who wanted to support them in their fight for JJ's health.
"They do amazing things for the surrounding counties and they have a thing called tip of the month which is where all of the tips raised in that month get donated toward a family in need, and this month is JJ but every month it's somebody different," says Shelby.
The Truesdale Family shares their story on their Facebook page, "JJ Mentality"- a name Nick says comes from JJ's warrior-like spirit in fighting against the medical difficulties that come his way.
"JJ's the toughest young man I've ever been around, and he went through every single day with a smile on his face, believe it or not," Nick says.
