MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – Lennon Vang, an 11-month-old twin from Macomb County, had been fighting to live since he came into this world.
His mom, Gloria Vang, gave birth to him and his twin Theo Vang prematurely. Both boys were whisked off to the NICU immediately.
“I had a ton of nurses come to me and kind of brace me,” said Gloria.
Lennon was struggling to breathe, and it became clear very quickly this wasn’t a preemie issue but something far greater.
“Every question we asked was answered with an ‘I don’t know’ they just continued to tell us they were doing everything they could,” Gloria said.
Ultimately, doctors told Gloria and her husband, James, that Lennon had Child Interstitial Lung Disease or CHILD.
It means his lungs are peppered with holes; it is exceedingly rare. All of this means he can’t breathe independently without supplemental oxygen.
It also means a basic cold could kill him. At best, his condition will worsen slowly over time. A lung transplant is a possibility.
“It’s been really rough,” said James. “We do what we can as parents to just keep him happy.”
The family has exhausted the available medical expertise and will attend the UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
They have insurance, but the bills have been mind-boggling. Friends of the family have set up a GoFundMe for assistance.
Both Gloria and James are still working for Jim Riehl’s
Friendly Automotive Group, and they say that without the flexibility they’ve been given, they wouldn’t have been able to cope. Their last hope is this specialist in Pittsburgh.