Kala & Shannon’s Story
When Kala and Charlie’s first child, Chaisley, was born on August 17, 2016, Shannon was there when the couple learned their little girl had a seizure and needed to be transported to the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis.
“She comforted my husband and me and also told us tons of information about Children’s – where to get food, what floors things were on, where to park and so much more,” Kala said. “She went above and beyond to give us gift cards for food and gas. Her generosity brought us so much joy in a time of so much sadness. She made this tough time so much more bearable.”
Chaisley spent a week in the hospital, but recovered and is now a healthy 4-year-old.
Shannon also was there for the birth of their daughter, Chariley, on April 15, 2018, which went well, and after the birth of their son, Channing, on July 16, 2020.
Channing was born at 33 weeks by emergency cesarean section and was taken to Children’s Hospital. About 12 hours after the delivery, Kala fainted in the bathroom. Shannon was there to catch her and alerted the medical team that something was seriously wrong.
“She kept telling them that my stomach shouldn’t be this tender, that my blood pressure was low and my heart rate was high,” Kala said. “They figured out I was bleeding somewhere. She was adamant they go in and find the source of the bleeding. They found out I had been bleeding from my uterus. I almost died. Shannon stayed with my family in the ICU for hours and hours and prayed with them.”
Kala was taken by helicopter to St. Louis and spent a week in the hospital. Channing, too, spent some time in the hospital. But the entire family is healthy now – and Kala has her angel, Shannon, to thank.