Earlier this summer, tragedy hit Appanoose County, Iowa, when a 17-year-old high school student and Prom King was found dead just an hour after being reported missing.
On June 26, 2024, Ayden Beeson was swimming when he disappeared under the water and never resurfaced. A 911 call reported a possible drowning at Rathbun Lake. The Appanoose County Sheriff and the Water Rescue team quickly launched a search, but sadly, the outcome was heartbreaking.
The rescue team found Ayden’s body in 15 to 20 feet of water. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ayden was a popular student in the Centerville School District. He was a leader on the football field, a talented tennis player, and had been voted Prom King before his spring graduation.
Superintendent Mark Taylor expressed the community’s grief, saying, “Losing such a great kid in the prime of his life is devastating. He was kind to everyone, really popular, and there wasn’t a single person at school he couldn’t be nice to.”
Ayden’s coach shared a heartfelt tribute, saying Ayden wasn’t afraid of hard work and was a standout player. His loss is deeply felt by all who knew him.
The day after Ayden Beeson’s passing, the Centerville Community Schools shared a heartfelt message on their Facebook page, expressing that they were “deeply saddened” to learn about the loss of one of their beloved students.
The district highlighted Ayden’s active involvement in the school community and emphasized how he was known and appreciated by both staff and students for his “genuinely kind” nature.
Ayden’s passing has left a profound impact on those who knew him, with many remembering him as a kind and positive presence in the school.
A tiny baby, who was kept in a sandwich bag for safety, is finally going home.
The parents of a baby named Robyn, who was born very tiny at just 11 ounces (328 grams), have finally brought her home after 18 months in the hospital.
Robyn was born five months early in March 2023 at Grange Hospital in Cwmbran, Torfaen, and she still needs special care all the time. Her parents, Chantelle (34) and Daniel (38) from Malpas, Newport, are raising money for her treatment. Chantelle said, “It’s like a dream come true to have Robyn home.”
Robyn was born at just 23 weeks and 2 days and was so tiny that she could fit in the palm of a hand. To keep her organs warm while she grew, she was kept in a sandwich bag.
After six months in the hospital, she spent another seven months in the pediatric intensive care unit at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital in Cardiff. She then returned to Grange Hospital until she was finally discharged in September.
Chantelle, who works part-time as an accountant, said, “It’s just so nice to do normal family things… and just all be together under one roof.”
Daniel, a self-employed bricklayer, mentioned that it’s much less chaotic at home now. He has had to cut back on work to focus on taking care of his daughter.
Robyn gets oxygen and nutrition through tubes in her nose and mouth, and her vital signs are watched all the time. She takes 30 doses of medication each day.
Her mom, Chantelle, explained, “She can’t cough, so we have to suction her mouth and nose throughout the day when she needs it.”
Daniel described Robyn as doing well and enjoying the “peace” of being at home. He added that they do a lot of physical therapy and play with her to help her senses.
Chantelle said it was tough to bond with Robyn in the busy hospital ward, with doctors and nurses always coming in and out.
“All you can do is sit next to her and watch,” she explained, “keeping an eye on the numbers on the screen and hoping she will be okay.”
“When Robyn was born, we weren’t sure if she would survive.
“As time went on, she grew bigger and stronger, but she still faced many problems. It became clear that her brain damage would have a big impact on her.”
‘We know nothing is impossible’
“We didn’t learn about her brain damage until about six months after she was born,” Daniel said.
“You have all these plans for how life will be, and then everything changes,” he added.
“But we try to stay positive.
“We know that nothing is impossible for Robyn because she has been told so many times that she wouldn’t be able to do things or even survive, but she keeps proving everyone wrong.
“She’s full of surprises, and I believe she will create her own story.”
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