Not long ago, a little boy named Asher was born at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital, but his birth came with some pretty significant complications. Asher Beckstorm-Alves came into the world with a disorder called Omphalocele, which created a severe defect in his abdominal wall. So for much of the first 200+ days of his life, Asher spent his time getting high-level medical intervention as he battled just to stay alive.
Because of the resulting complications, Asher needed several surgeries during the months he spent in the hospital after his birth. One of the procedures involved giving him what's called a tracheostomy, which is a surgically-guided hole in his windpipe, or trachea, to give Asher another airway that would allow him just to breathe. He also needed a a shunt to help take care of his hydrocephalus, which is a fluid buildup in the brain.
A dedicated group of specialists at Oishei Children’s Hospital
The medical team that was helping Asher in his daily battle included Neonatal and Pediatric ICU specialists along with neurosurgery experts. Through the many difficult days he faced, Asher was constantly supported by the love, the compassion and the prayers of his parents Hewerton and Kirstie. Finally, just before Christmas of 2020, Asher was discharged from the hospital and allowed to go home. He's better but he still has a long road ahead.
In order to continue his journey, Asher uses a ventilator and oxygen tanks, along with a variety of medical supplies, no matter where he travels. The reality is that Asher will continue to have significant medical needs all his life. Most recently, he has several outpatient medical appointments in Buffalo every month with his family making regular trips from their home in Jamestown, NY.
A vital need for transportation
During the time that Asher was fighting for his life at Oishei Children’s Hospital, his parents faced another crisis of their own. After many long trips to the hospital in their quest to support their son, their aging car broke down and was no longer repair-able. Thankfully, it wasn't long after that when the family's dire situation came to the attention of some very kind people at ACV Auctions as they were delivering Christmas gifts to kids in the hospital.
A family connection
ACV Auctions conducts car dealer vehicle auctions in Buffalo and in what must have been a God-ordained "coincidence," it turned out that Kirstie's brother-in-law works for ACV. The company has made a long history of corporate generosity, having just donated more than 20,000 toy cars and $10,000 to the children and families getting help at Oishei Children’s Hospital. When they heard about Asher and his family, they wanted to help.
Getting Northtown Automotive involved
The people at ACV Auctions have had an ongoing relationship with our dealership at Northtown Automotive. Both companies have been long-time supporters of Oishei Children’s Hospital, so when we were invited to help intervene, we felt privileged to do our part on behalf of our customers in nearby communities like Amherst and Williamsville.NY.
A donation on four wheels
To help Asher and his family deal with their ongoing medical challenges, Northtown Automotive donated a new Chrysler Pacific minivan. We couldn't have been more thrilled the first time we saw Asher safely and happily in the back seat of his family's new vehicle. We are grateful to ACV Auctions for helping us support this courageous family as we offer our prayers and best wishes to them all.
