Family with a large heart pays it forward to NICU families

Justine, Trent and Ty Ruff, along with grandmothers Joyce and Heather, spent some special time this week at Campbell County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) remembering their precious son and grandson, Wesley Andrew Ruff, who was born on October 4, 2018. Wesley passed away on December 27, 2018, while waiting for a heart transplant at Denver Children’s Hospital.

Wesley was a fighter and the Ruff family is fighting in his honor by donating 100 Swaddle4Swaddle blankets to the NICU. Justine and Trent had their birth plan clearly defined and being admitted to the NICU and transferred to Denver wasn’t in the plan. They didn’t have all the comforts they anticipated and wanted.

Justine couldn’t put a finger on it but throughout her pregnancy she knew something wasn’t quite right. Testing and scans showed a healthy, developing baby. After his birth, Wesley spent some time in the CCMH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) before being transferred to Denver Children’s Hospital. There, Wesley was diagnosed with Noonan Syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that prevents normal development in various parts of the body. Often Noonan Syndrome impacts facial characteristics, short stature and causes heart defects. For Wesley, it meant he had a large heart.

Justine recently made a blanket purchase through Audrey and Bear, and the company reached out to her introducing their Swaddle4Swaddle program and asked if she was interested in participating. She told Wesley’s story to them, and Audrey and Bear elected to support CCMH with their program. For the Ruff family, they used this opportunity to celebrate Wesley’s large fighting heart to tie cards onto every blanket in Wesley’s honor, and catch up with CCMH pediatric hospitalist Tracy Wasserburger, NNP, who took care of Wesley during the first hours of his life.

By giving these soft, supple, stretchy blankets to future NICU babies, the Ruff family hopes to provide a small amount of comfort to the NICU family in Gillette, Wyoming. Comfort in knowing a NICU angel and his family are wrapping their little one in love.