The strong connection between a fifth-grade student and her teacher in Ralston has become even more profound. Janice Rhods is currently mourning the loss of her infant son due to a rare heart condition. Just a month before the tragedy, fifth-grade student Adrianna Case decided to step in and provide significant support.
It has only been a couple of weeks since Rhods bid farewell to an essential part of her life. “I think of his smile. Honestly, I think of him now in peace,” Rhods expressed. Her 5-and-a-half-month-old boy, Caden, struggled with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
“His life was marked by pain and frequent hospital visits. He found joy when he was outdoors, but unfortunately, that only lasted a few months,” Rhods recalled. “Out of the 5-and-a-half months he was alive, he got to be home for only two of them.” In November, Caden developed a common cold that quickly escalated to a fever and a high heart rate.
“Everything escalated rapidly,” Rhods remarked. Caden passed away on November 17th. “They believe his heart was simply overworking, as it was extremely fragile,” Rhods explained.
Rhods, a fifth-grade teacher at Karen Western Elementary School in Ralston, has been absent from the classroom for a significant part of this school year to care for Caden.
“I was trying to be there for my son, as well as my two other children at home, while also wanting to support my students,” she mentioned.
Case, Rhods’ student, recognized her teacher’s challenges about a month before Caden’s passing and decided to take action. “I initially got him a blanket, but I felt that wasn’t sufficient, so I started a GoFundMe campaign,” Case shared.
With her mother’s assistance, Case launched a GoFundMe page, which raised $2,000 for Rhods. “I never expected it to reach $2,000. I thought it would just be a couple of hundred dollars,” Case admitted.
For Rhods, the value of this gesture goes beyond the monetary aspect. “It’s more about the compassion and care she demonstrated. Knowing she did this for me assures me she would do the same for others,” Rhods said.
“I truly adore her,” Case expressed about Rhods. Rhods mentioned that she plans to return to work on Monday and acknowledged that she wouldn’t have been able to cope without outstanding students like Adrianna.
The bond between a Ralston teacher and her fifth-grade student is stronger than ever. Janice Rhods is mourning her baby boy. He recently died after dealing with a rare heart issue. But about a month before, fifth-grade student Adrianna Case stepped up to help in a big way.
It’s been about two weeks since Rhods lost a huge piece of her world.
