When people meet Lyndzi today, they usually see her smile first. She’s joyful, strong, funny, full of life, and honestly, you’d probably never know the journey she’s been through unless we told you.
Our story really began in December of 2016 during what we thought was just a normal yearly check-up for our youngest daughter, Lyndzi Noelle. She was only five years old at the time. During the appointment, her pediatrician noticed her blood pressure was a little high. Nothing seemed urgent, but she asked us to come back the following week just to check it again.
We didn’t think much of it.
But when we returned, her blood pressure was still dangerously elevated for a child her age. From there, everything moved very quickly. A urine sample showed high protein levels, more lab work was ordered, and suddenly we were being referred to a nephrologist—a kidney specialist.
We still had no idea how serious things were.
After reviewing her test results and running additional labs, the specialist looked at us and told us we needed to go straight to the emergency room. Within hours, our world completely changed.
Lyndzi was admitted to Inova Children’s Hospital in Fairfax from December 20th to 24th, 2016. Doctors ran test after test trying to figure out why our little girl was in kidney failure. We were terrified, confused, overwhelmed, and desperate for answers. Nothing prepares you for hearing words like “end-stage renal disease” connected to your child.
Over the next few months, Lyndzi continued seeing specialists regularly while taking multiple blood pressure medications just to keep things stable. But in March of 2017, we noticed swelling in her abdomen. We knew something wasn’t right.
What we thought would be a short hospital stay turned into nearly eight weeks in the hospital.
From March 15 through May 8, 2017, Lyndzi endured four surgeries, including the removal of both kidneys in April of 2017. Watching your child go through something like that changes you forever. There were moments where we felt scared, angry, exhausted, and completely helpless. But somehow, in the middle of all the hardship, there were also moments of incredible faith, love, and hope.
Our family carried us through that season. So did our church family, our friends, and so many people who stepped in to pray, encourage us, sit with us, feed us, cry with us, distract and love on our olders (at the time Jacob was 13 and Sophia was 10), and remind us we weren’t alone.
After her surgeries, Lyndzi began dialysis. At first, it was daily, then eventually every other day, followed by a grueling dialysis schedule several times a week at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. It was exhausting physically, emotionally, and mentally—but dialysis gave us something priceless: time. Time to wait for the miracle of a kidney transplant.
And that miracle came on July 27, 2017.
After months of uncertainty, fear, prayers, and waiting, Lyndzi received her kidney transplant at Children’s National Hospital. It’s hard to even put into words what that day meant to our family. Relief. Gratitude. Joy. Hope. It felt like we could finally breathe again.
Today, Lyndzi continues to be monitored closely, and we remain deeply grateful for the doctors, nurses, social workers, hospitals, and organizations that walked beside us through the hardest season of our lives. Children’s National Hospital, Inova Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and last but definitely not least our home away from home: The Ronald McDonald House Charities played such an important role in Lyndzi’s care and in supporting our family.
Most of all, we are thankful for the people who loved us through it all. Our parents, family, friends, church community, and even strangers who became part of our story—you were truly the hands and feet of Jesus during a time when we needed it most.
This journey changed our family forever. It taught us about faith, resilience, compassion, and the power of community. And while we never would have chosen this road, we are incredibly thankful for every person who helped us walk it and are still walking with us.
And out of this journey, something beautiful was born.
Lyndzi’s Ice Cream Co., our nonprofit premium small-batch ice cream company, was created from a place of adversity, faith, gratitude, and love. What began as our family’s hardest season became a mission to bring joy, comfort, and community to others. Through every scoop we serve, we carry a deeper purpose—to help support children and families facing medical hardships while spreading smiles and creating moments of happiness together.
Lyndzi’s story is more than a medical journey. It’s a testimony of hope, miracles, perseverance, and the goodness of God through the people He placed around us. And now, through Lyndzi’s Ice Cream, we hope to continue pouring that same love and encouragement back into others.
The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. We have partnered with COTA to assist with transplant related-expenses for Lyndzi’s lifetime.