Baby Aurora’s surgery a success

PRINCE ALBERT — A baby girl born prematurely moments before the death of her mother is recovering in a Saskatoon hospital from surgery to insert a shunt to relieve painful swelling on her brain.

Little Aurora Sky Brandi Ledoux underwent surgery Friday in Saskatoon. Her grandmother, Josie Ledoux, said the surgery went well and the now five-month-old girl is recuperating.

The surgery was necessary to allow the excess fluid to be drained from the baby’s head in a less painful way.

“She did well,” Ledoux said following the surgery.

“The operation went really well … the baby’s doing really good.”

Baby Aurora was born July 14 by emergency Csection, shortly before her mother, 17-year-old Brandi Lepine, died from injuries she received in a car crash in Prince Albert. Baby Aurora weighed just two pounds, two ounces at birth.

The crash happened at the intersection of 28th Street and 12th Avenue. Taylor Litwin, who was driving the car in which Lepine was a passenger, was also killed in the crash. Litwin was 21.

Jeremiah Jobb, 21, is facing a slew of charges, including impaired driving, in relation to the crash. His trial is scheduled to start next July.

With the shunt in place, Ledoux said baby Aurora appears to be more comfortable. Ledoux is relieved to have the surgery over and said the family is hoping to have Aurora back in Prince Albert soon.

“I just feel so happy for her now,” she said.

Several donors have stepped up to help with costs as Josie Ledoux spends time in Saskatoon caring for Aurora and her husband, Leo, works to pay the bills. A crib and change table similar to the one Aurora’s mother picked out before her death has been purchased by Pepsi in Prince Albert.

Leo Ledoux is a longtime employee with Pepsi.

A Saskatchewan couple, who wish to remain anonymous, also offered to buy some much-needed items for the baby’s room. The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan plans tocontact the family about various programs.