Team Tucker

🐾💛 Another pretty incredible chapter in Tucker’s story… 💛🐾

Cali has officially started her scent training to alert to high blood pressure for Tucker. 🥹

For most families, a blood pressure reading may just be another number. For us, after everything Tucker has been through—being born in end-stage kidney failure, dialysis beginning at just 2 days old, countless hospital stays and procedures, and ultimately receiving his kidney transplant—those numbers carry a little more weight.

Now this sweet girl is learning Tucker’s scent and being trained to recognize changes associated with high blood pressure so she can alert us. The thought of Cali eventually being beside him, not only as his best friend but as another set of eyes (and one very powerful nose 🐶) looking out for him, means more than I can put into words.

Tucker has spent so much of his little life surrounded by doctors, hospitals, medications, labs and appointments. He has fought incredibly hard for the life he has today. Knowing that Cali is working just as hard to learn how to help protect that life is something really special. 😭💛

We also have to give the BIGGEST shoutout to Loyalty Service Dogs. The amount of time, patience, knowledge, love and dedication that goes into training a service dog is incredible. There are so many hours of work behind every skill and every successful alert, and we are beyond grateful for everything they are pouring into Cali to prepare her for Tucker.

One day, all of this training will come together and Cali will come home to the little boy she has been working so hard for. 🥹

Until then… keep working hard, Cali girl. 💛🐾
Your boy is waiting for you.

Tucker had a great time playing the GameCube tonight! A little nostalgia for my husband and I 😊

Anyone else’s toddler find creative ways to watch their iPad? 😂

07/24/20

A day that never gets easier.

Your birthday.

Today you would be 6. You would be going into 1st grade. There’s a lot of things we would be doing like celebrating with a big party surrounded by all your friends and our family. Like watching you tear into your piece of cake like you had been waiting all day for it. Like watching you rip into your birthday presents squealing with joy because it was exactly what you wanted. Like going shopping for school clothes and supplies, counting down the sleeps until we met your teacher.

Instead we celebrate you in a different way. We celebrate the 2.5 beautiful months you gave us. The laughter I remember like it was yesterday. The sleepless nights I’d happily go through all over again if it meant you’d still be here.

We miss you so much. The bible tells us you are whole and happy enjoying yourself in Heaven, but selfishly I want you here.. with us. But I know you are safe in the arms of Jesus.

Happy 6th birthday Grayson. We love you all the way to Jesus and back.

Until we see you again baby boy 🤍👼🏼

Tucker had so much fun at church today. So happy he is able to enjoy these things now 🤍shout out to them for taking this pic 😊

Happy 4th of July from our family to yours ❤️🎇

Hi friends, Team Tucker has made a gofund me to help cover funeral expenses for Rita. Please share this out with your friends and help us honor Rita by helping easy the financial burden for Billy.

Donate to Support for Rita’s Funeral & Billy’s Healing, organized by Hannah McClintock Rita was a dear friend who touched many lives, including ours. She brav… Hannah McClintock needs your support for Support for Rita’s Funeral & Billy’s Healing

This morning was extra special — Tucker officially graduated from Early Childhood Intervention! 🤍

Through this program, he received in-home physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. The incredible team at Easter Seals helped Tucker regain strength and get back on track after his surgeries and long NICU stay. They have been by his side every single week since coming home from the NICU in 2024.

When Tucker came home at just 4.5 months old, he was extremely behind. He couldn’t roll over, sit up, drink from a bottle, or eat puréed foods. After everything his little body had endured, he had a long road ahead.

Christina and Kristen poured their hearts into helping Tucker overcome every obstacle — from surgery regressions to weakness caused by his medical conditions. Week after week, they showed up for him with patience, encouragement, and so much love.

While we are sad to say goodbye, we are beyond proud of how far Tucker has come. Today, he no longer needs their services, and that feels huge. Watching him overcome so much has been nothing short of incredible.

Thank you, Christina and Kristen, for showing up and showing out for Tucker every single week. We will truly miss you 🤍