A 56-Year-Old Woman Will Carry Her Daughter’s Baby But The Ultrasound Tells Something Else

There are times we all get caught up in our lives and feel the world is not being fair to us, but in reality, when we look around, we see people who are truly having a very tough time. It makes us feel a little ashamed to get hung up on insignificant things that are unimportant. This is a story of people coming together to help a family in need.

Kim and Joe Casinos are from Ohio and wanted so much to have a family. Unfortunately, Kim had undergone a partial hysterectomy, making it impossible for her to have a baby. The Casinos were determined to have a child when Kim’s mother, Jacy Dallenberg, stepped up and offered to be their surrogate. Even though she was 56 years old, Jacy was aware of the risks involved due to her age, but she wanted to do this for her daughter.

The Casinos were ecstatic that they could finally have a family. They were all set to have in vitro fertilization (IVF) performed, and soon enough, embryos were successfully implanted in Dallenberg’s uterus. Speaking with Today, Jacy shared her feelings on the decision:

“Kim and Joe are such great people and truly deserve to have children. It’s something I wanted to do for my daughter.”

The treatment was a complete success, and Jacy became pregnant in early 2008. As others have experienced with IVF, Jacy didn’t have just one baby, but three. On October 11, 2008, Jacy gave birth to the triplets, and Kim and Joe were now proud parents to twins and a sister. The babies were delivered via a cesarean section and weighed less than three pounds. Their weight was due to being born two months premature, but Ellie, Gigi, and Carmina were very healthy babies. Before taking the girls home, the Casinos spoke with Good Morning America. On their appearance, Kim shared:

“The girls are doing great, and now Joe, the girls, and I are finally a family.”

Well, not everything went as planned. Shortly thereafter, their world seemed to turn upside down once again. Their daughter, Ellie, was diagnosed with five brain tumors. She underwent many surgeries, but soon they realized they would have to move in order to give Ellie the very best medical treatment available. They found an excellent hospital in Sunrise, Florida, called Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, so the family packed up and moved from Ohio to Sunrise.

Fate was not being kind to the Casinos family. Kim and Joe soon discovered that their two other daughters also had brain tumors. All three were diagnosed with atypical arachnoid tumors by the time they were only eight years of age. Not only was the news emotionally devastating, but they were now facing financial destitution. The surgeries and treatments for the three girls were incredibly expensive, and Kim and Joe just couldn’t afford the cost. To manage the mounting medical bills, they decided to sell some of their belongings. Joe realized he’d have to sell his car, and they even had to sell their wedding rings, which was absolutely heartbreaking. But Joe and Kim were ready to do anything for Ellie, Gigi, and Carmina.

Because they were new to the area, they didn’t know anyone, but this was about to change. After appearing on a local TV station, Kim and Joe shared their tragic story with CBS4 News. It seems all the right people were watching the news that day. Joe Miranda and his wife listened to the Casinos’ struggles and decided to do something to help them during this very hard time. They decided to give the family a Kia SUV so they could go back and forth for hospital appointments or whatever else they needed. On top of that, the Mirandas paid for the family to take a trip to Legoland. Speaking to CBN about the gesture, Kim expressed her gratitude:

“I was stunned when I heard about the incredible act of kindness coming from the Mirandas. I couldn’t believe it.”

Joe Casinos echoed her sentiments:

“The Mirandas have literally changed our lives.”

What they weren’t aware of was that there were many more surprises coming their way. Word got around the Sunrise neighborhood very quickly about the family’s hardships, and something even more miraculous was about to happen. The community set up a fundraising event in honor of Ellie, Gigi, and Carmina, and they were able to raise an incredible ten thousand dollars. This money would help pay for medical testing that the family simply couldn’t afford.

It was the generosity and community spirit that humbled the Casinos. They went from knowing absolutely no one in the area—let alone in Florida—to having the backing of an amazing, caring community, with countless neighbors they could call on if and when they needed to. As for Ellie, Gigi, and Carmina, they are working on getting better. Discussing their current situation, Joe shared:

“Kim and I try to do everything we possibly can to make sure the girls are happy and live their lives as full as they can. The three girls are in pretty good spirits, so something right must be going on around them.”

When people reach out to those in need, whether due to serious illnesses or other hardships, there is a feeling that cannot be fully explained, but it seems to turn negatives into positives. That feeling of joy is also felt deep inside those who are the givers, and that is a great feeling indeed.