At 6 years old, Beck Dupont radiates pure joy.
“His personality is just larger-than-life — he’s just a ball of sunshine,” his dad, Tony, said.
That sunshine feels even brighter knowing how much this little boy has overcome, including a series of frightening and life-threatening health battles that began when he was only 10 weeks old.
Battles, his parents said, where every second mattered.
Today, Tony and his wife, Alissa, are sharing his incredible journey from crisis to courage to comeback to help inspire support for the new David H. and Christine Billion Pediatric Emergency Department — the first of its kind in South Dakota — opening next year on the campus of the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls.
‘Something Wasn’t Right’
“Beck was 10 weeks old and we knew something was wrong. He’d been kind of in and out of the clinic that week with just a general virus — basically a common cold. We just knew something wasn’t right. They did some blood tests but couldn’t really find anything.”
Then things went from bad to worse.
“We were getting ready for bed and Beck was in Alissa’s arms and it looked like he was just slipping away on us. It looked like the life was leaving his body,” Tony said. “We later found out he was having a seizure.”
Little Beck was rushed to the emergency department that night where he was diagnosed with a severe case of meningitis. He was placed in a medically induced coma and put on a ventilator.
“It was just such a surreal moment in the emergency room,” Tony remembered. “I could just see the severity of the situation and the seriousness of what they were dealing with — it’s something that is burned into my memory,” he said.
Another Heartbreak
Beck remained on the ventilator for about three days. Things seemed to be moving in the right direction, until another devastating issue developed.
“They found a blood clot on his brain — a side effect from the meningitis,” Tony said. “And that’s when things got even more severe.”
Eventually, Beck was moved to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Sanford Children’s Hospital where pediatric health care experts outlined a plan with Tony and Alissa to make sure Beck got better.
“We just took it minute by minute from there,” Tony said.
Later, Beck was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition where abnormal amounts of cerebrospinal fluid accumulate within the ventricles of the brain. At 6 months old, he underwent surgery during which doctors implanted a shunt to help drain the fluid into another area of his body, relieving pressure on his brain.
Back to the Emergency Department
Over the years, Beck has needed subsequent surgeries to replace the shunt.
“When the shunt was originally placed, we were told that it’s not a matter of if, but when the shunt fails,” Tony said.
When a shunt fails, patients can experience a variety of symptoms, including lethargy, vomiting or fevers. For Beck, the symptoms were much more severe.
“We couldn’t wake him up in the morning,” Tony recalled. “He was completely unresponsive.”
Tony and Alissa rushed Beck to the emergency room at Sanford where tests revealed the shunt was completely blocked.
“He also had an extremely low heart rate, which was very alarming for the doctors. From there, he was rushed into brain surgery to have the shunt replaced,” Tony said.
Surrounded by Love
Looking back on Beck’s journey, Tony and Alyssa said their entire family felt the love of Sanford Children’s Hospital, including their other children, Mia and Decker.
“The child life specialists were also amazing,” said Alissa. “They were always coming in the room and checking on the kids — even my older two, helping entertain them while we were all up there,” she said, explaining that other elements of the Castle made life easier for parents, too.
“The lounge for the parents, just in case you needed a break; the volunteers who would come and rock for us; the outdoor spaces — it was all just awesome,” she said.
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The team at Sanford was absolutely amazing. I really felt like when we got to the Castle, we were at the right place. It was a collaborative effort between the hospitalists, the intensivists, neurosurgery, neurology and all the different departments that came together to form a game plan.
Beck’s Dad
Looking Back With Gratitude
Today, Tony and Alissa describe their little boy as “super driven and happy.”
“He’s just such a joy and it’s just the simple things in life that make him happy. And after everything he went through, so far he’s hitting all his milestones. As far as we can tell, he’s going to go on to live a completely happy and normal life.”
“I’m thankful for the amazing doctors. I wouldn’t have my youngest son here today if it wasn’t for the team. They saved his life and they did it more than once and I’m just extremely appreciative of the care he was given,” Tony said.
“Every day I look at him and realize how lucky we are to have him here with us. He completely beat the odds,” Alissa said. We just love him so much.”
The Right Care at the Right Time
As the Duponts reflect on Beck’s journey, they realize the significance of having the right care at the right time. They’re excited to see plans come together for a dedicated pediatric emergency department at the Sanford USD Medical Center, led by the generosity of David and Christine Billion.
“For us, it would’ve been a complete game changer,” Tony said. “I know they’re doing everything they can up there, but having more specialized care just for children I think would’ve alleviated a lot of stress for Beck and everything he had to go through.”
Give for Children. Give for Good.
Be part of history and help us move the David H. and Christine Billion Pediatric Emergency Department closer to the finish line. 100% of your gift today will support:
- Lifesaving equipment and technology, including a pediatric CT scanner
- Patient support programs like child life
- Enhancements to care and more