A Redmond family is feeling the support of their community after spending a week with their toddler at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland.
Almost two-year-old Samson Kowing was in emergency surgery just last Wednesday after suffering a ruptured appendix and resulting infection.
On Halloween, the toddler felt pain near his stomach and would not leave the couch or eat.
His parents, Ethan and Crystal Kowing, then took him to Redmond Urgent Care where two ultrasounds and a CAT scan were completed.
“The doctor said he thought it looked like an abscess,” Ethan Kowing, Samson’s father said. “So, they flew him via Airlink airplane to here in Portland.”
Samson has been hospitalized for almost a week now, and Kowing said it could turn out to be financially difficult.
Kowing is an Oregon State Police trooper and does have insurance, but is currently on administrative leave after refusing to get a mandated COVID-19 vaccine.
“There’s a potential that I won’t have my job after, you know, we don’t know how long the investigation or any of that is going to take,” Kowing said. “The internal stuff, but I mean that’s where my insurance is. I’m lucky this happened while I still have insurance at least.”
Family friend Lindsay Fetcho is hoping to help through a GoFundMe.
“Making sure they have everything they need for themselves financially for their house,” Fetcho said. “And able to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas for their kids.”
Kowing says any excess donations will go towards the hospital.
“There’s a lot of kids here who are worse off than Samson,” Kowing said. “We couldn’t imagine what these other families have to go through.”
Samson could be sent home as early as Tuesday, the family is awaiting results of a blood test.
