A Heart to Grow

Bell Employee

Dave Stroh

Fargo, N.D.

Recipients

Brock, Hailey and Kenna Kappes

The Need

When Bell team member Dave Stroh heard his friends’ daughter and her husband were expecting their first child, he was excited for the whole family. Anticipation turned to shared worry when Hailey and Brock Kappes found out, 24 weeks into Hailey’s pregnancy, that their baby had ventricular septal defect (VSD), meaning she had several holes in the wall of her heart.

“We were just both shocked that she had this,” Brock recalls. Both parents knew “it was going to be a long road” for their daughter.

During Kenna’s first weeks and months, she was given medications to help her grow – while at the same time shrinking the holes in her heart – but the baby continued to not gain the weight she should. Ultimately, it was decided she would need heart surgery.

“It was scary,” says mom Hailey. During surgery, doctors decided to put a band on her pulmonary artery, rather than repairing the holes. In about a year, the band will be removed, and doctors will determine if the holes can be “patched” at that time.

“She’ll for sure have at least one more heart surgery,” explains Hailey. “But we’re doing good right now. She’s growing, and that’s what we want. She’s just a great blessing.”

The Impact

As Kenna’s life began, Dave knew his friends’ new granddaughter and her family would have many costs associated with their medical journey.

“First thing that came to my mind was, it’s a new family that’s going through a challenge like this,” Dave says. “It’s hard financially, mentally – it’s hard everything – so anything we could do to help would be great.”

Of course, Dave immediately thought of his Pay It Forward funds – and when he shared the Kappes’ story with his colleagues, they wanted to help, too. Soon, Dave and 15 other teammates had pooled funds totaling more than $7,000. Dave “sneaked” the family the check right after a fundraiser benefit for Kenna.

“I gave them the envelope and said, ‘Here, don’t lose this,’” Dave remembers. “They took the envelope home, opened it, and I instantly got a [thank-you] text from Brock.”

In fact, Dave’s check created a ripple of giving, as Brock and Hailey decided to use some of the funds to pay it forward themselves, helping another friend whose child was undergoing medical issues. Hailey and Brock could easily relate.

“Once you have a kid … the way you think about everything is just completely different,” Hailey explains. “You just have parent brain. She’s our first little one.”

After the fundraiser and Dave’s Pay It Forward gift, Hailey adds, “We were already feeling pretty loved. We just couldn’t believe it. We have such great people in our circle, and Kenna has an amazing village.”

Through the Pay It Forward program, Bell gives employees money each year to donate to people in need and causes they care about.