Family ‘terrified’ as power goes out during boy’s brain surgery

On July 31, the power went out. Normally, losing electricity is an inconvenience and more of a hassle as the time without it drags on.

For Arianna Becker, it was almost heart-stopping because she was at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and her son was in the middle of brain surgery.

The hospital’s generators kicked in immediately, and there was not even a flicker in the operating room, Becker said she was told. In the waiting room, the power was out for about 30 seconds.

“It was terrifying,” Becker of Exeter Township said.

Becker’s son, Dakota Renney, 7, was having a tumor removed from the motor association cortex of his brain that was detected July 9.

After the surgery to remove the tumor, he had to go under the knife again the same day.

“They had to go in a second time because he was clotting,” Becker said, noting Dakota was under anesthesia for a total of nine hours.

“He’s doing amazing,” she said. “Day One post-op was how they thought he would be on Day Five.”

Becker explained that Dakota has a plate in his head that will disintegrate in 10 to 18 months as his skull continues to grow.

The Lorane Elementary School student was released Aug. 8, but Becker, her husband, David Becker, Dakota’s dad, Matthew Renney, and the rest of the family still are awaiting the report on the tumor’s pathology. That will come at an appointment on Aug. 13.

The community has stepped up and helped raise funds to cover lodging and travel expenses the family incurred because his surgery date had been accelerated. There was no room at the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, a place where the families of sick children can stay for free, on such short notice. A fundraiser was held July 26 at the Rita’s in Mount Penn and an online GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $6,300 as of print deadline.

A Facebook campaign for the public to send Dakota postcards from as many locations as possible was started more than a week ago to help keep him occupied during his recovery. He now has more than a shoebox full of them.

His aunt, Julia Weyandt of Syracuse, N.Y., purchased a map for him similar to a scratch-off lottery ticket. Each time he received a postcard, he could reveal a new state or country name. The only states he needs are Louisiana and Kentucky.

Via the internet, his request made it to a Colorado woman who is traveling the world. She has sent postcards from New Zealand and China.

“We’re up to postcard No. 9 from her,” Becker said.

Send words of encouragement on postcards to: Dakota Renney, 313 Fairview Road, Reading, PA 19606.