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Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:00 pm
by Joe Bobcat
It’s been on my mind to post about this situation for 8 months now and have to admit I’m ashamed that I waited so long to post about it but here it goes. Former Bobcat player Ty McDonald #45 2004-2007 along with his family are in the fight of their lives and literally the fight FOR the life of their son Lyam.
Check out this video to get a small glimpse of what they are dealing with.
https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/fi ... infant-son
Many of you may have already been aware of this but I want all of Bobcat nation to know. Please keep this family in your prayers and if you have any thought or knowledge of where they might get the help they are so desperately seeking do what you can.
Ty played for the Bobcats from 2004-2007 and wore number 45. You won’t find his name in any individual records list but his dedication and impact to the team go far beyond that as indicated by a small write up about him in the Bobcats by the numbers.

Ty McDonald (2004-07)

Other #45 Notes: It's an obvious over-simplification to say that Treasure State products have been the backbone of the Bobcat football program for the century-plus of its existence. The Bobcat program began to really take off early in the 21st century, though, when non-scholarship and low-scholarship players from Montana began matriculating to MSU in larger numbers, and staying their entire careers. One of the greatest examples is Ty McDonald, a Montana High School Heisman winner who picked up the nickname "The Bus Driver" when that's the role a new assistant thought he held in the program on the trip to Great Falls for the Triangle Classic because he was attired in blue jeans and boots rather than team sweats or shorts. McDonald was a solid special teams contributor and reserve tight end, and coming from an agricultural family near Geyser his MSU heritage was strong. Away from the football field is where McDonald really made his mark. He won the University's Torley Award as the senior male who most exemplified the spirit of community service and involvement, he earned an International Stockmen's Education Foundation Travel Fellowship to the 2007 International Livestock Congress in Denver, a Val Glynn Award for leadership and scholarship, was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi agricultural honorary, interned for former U.S. Senator Conrad Burns in Washington D.C., and traveled to Taiwan to study international grain use in the spring of 2006. Ty McDonald was a favorite during his time at MSU, and remains a sterling example that college athletics provides opportunity far beyond the playing field…

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:07 pm
by Cledus
This campaign has been up for three months and until just now, nobody has donated.

Gofundme:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 1:35 pm
by MTCowpoke22
I knew Ty before college during our days in 4-H, and he is my wife's cousin, so we've been following this since before Lyam was born. They have a Facebook page "Baby Mac's Heart Fight" which I believe is public to keep everyone appraised of what is going on. It explains everything much better and in more detail than we could post on here. Like his folks, Lyam is a fighter. If you look at the pictures, he's alert and active when awake.He's had multiple heart surgeries over the past 8 months and they've run out of options in Denver. If you know of any hospitals or doctors who would be willing to try any other options, they need to know where to go. He need both a heart and kidney transplant, but can't get put on the transplant list due to his multitude of issues. I don't know that they are really asking for money as much as they need more options for Lyam. It's truly heartbreaking to see such a wonderful family having to deal with this.

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:32 am
by grizzh8r
Ty is as genuine as they come, he advised us on how to work out the details on passing the family ranch on to the next generation. Hopefully Lyam can get connected with a treatment plan that will correct all of his health issues. As the parent of two heathy young boys, I can't even imagine what the McDonald's are going through right now. Has to be agonizing...

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:18 am
by ilovethecats
Well our fall just became wide open! What can we do for this Bobcat family?

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 11:46 am
by Cataholic
ilovethecats wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:18 am
Well our fall just became wide open! What can we do for this Bobcat family?
Let’s go help them out. I already made my donation.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:22 pm
by ilovethecats
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 11:46 am
ilovethecats wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:18 am
Well our fall just became wide open! What can we do for this Bobcat family?
Let’s go help them out. I already made my donation.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight
I will too.

If all the people that travel to Bozeman multiple times every fall take a little bit of that cash saved and donate, we should shatter this goal in no time!

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:59 pm
by BleedingBLue
Does anybody have any idea how something like a kidney transplant works? Can the little guy live if he gets one good kidney? Or do you have to have 2 good ones?

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 1:40 pm
by griztasteslikechicken
Thank you for posting this. I had no idea that the McDonald family was facing this challenge. Folks, this is a solid gold family!!!! Please reach in your wallets and give a little to help them out. If you can drop $300 to $500 for a weekend trip to Bozeman to watch a Cat game you can certainly pony up a few bucks to help this family. Best of luck to the McDonald family....you're certainly in my thoughts and prayers!

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:02 pm
by Cataholic
Over $2,000 in 48 hours! Great job Bobcat Nation!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:07 pm
by Joe Bobcat
BleedingBLue wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:59 pm
Does anybody have any idea how something like a kidney transplant works? Can the little guy live if he gets one good kidney? Or do you have to have 2 good ones?
Oh absolutely you can live with only one kidney. There are people who are born with only one and in general you wouldn't even know it unless told.
I have a brother in law and a friend who were born with only one, and a girl from my high school class that is living with one kidney donated from her sister about 20 years ago.

Thanks to those who are showing support for the McDonalds. As any family that has been through terrible tough times knows, it can really help boost one's morale to see your larger community rally in support of your cause and show empathy and concern for your plight.

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:39 pm
by AFCAT
Joe Bobcat wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:07 pm
BleedingBLue wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:59 pm
Does anybody have any idea how something like a kidney transplant works? Can the little guy live if he gets one good kidney? Or do you have to have 2 good ones?
Oh absolutely you can live with only one kidney. There are people who are born with only one and in general you wouldn't even know it unless told.
I have a brother in law and a friend who were born with only one, and a girl from my high school class that is living with one kidney donated from her sister about 20 years ago.

Thanks to those who are showing support for the McDonalds. As any family that has been through terrible tough times knows, it can really help boost one's morale to see your larger community rally in support of your cause and show empathy and concern for your plight.
Yeah, if you watch the video on his story, his Mom said she is his perfect kidney match, so she can donate one of her kidneys once he gets a heart transplant first.

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:52 pm
by Cataholic
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:02 pm
Over $2,000 in 48 hours! Great job Bobcat Nation!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight
Over $3,100 now! Be pretty awesome if we could get over $5,000 today.

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:38 pm
by Cataholic
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:52 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:02 pm
Over $2,000 in 48 hours! Great job Bobcat Nation!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight
Over $3,100 now! Be pretty awesome if we could get over $5,000 today.
Nice job BN! $4,340 so far!

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:56 pm
by ilovethecats
Cataholic wrote:
Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:38 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:52 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:02 pm
Over $2,000 in 48 hours! Great job Bobcat Nation!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight
Over $3,100 now! Be pretty awesome if we could get over $5,000 today.
Nice job BN! $4,340 so far!
Love this! I’ve shared the link everywhere I can.

If people were as passionate about saving ALL lives as they are covid lives, we’d triple this amount overnight.

I‘m still hoping.

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:21 am
by WolfPtCat
How bout we keep this effort at the top of the message board for a week...instead of b*ing and moaning about masks and having to wait 6 months to tailgate.

I echo what others said, if you can drop a few hundred for a weekend in Bozeman (which we all love to do), you might be able to help these young parents out. It sounds like they aren't really asking for money, just a miracle connection. But having a little money in the bank, can pay the apartment costs & help them search for their miracle.

If you can donate or not...please pray for them....it helps!

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:18 am
by Cataholic
ilovethecats wrote:
Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:56 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:38 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:52 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:02 pm
Over $2,000 in 48 hours! Great job Bobcat Nation!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight
Over $3,100 now! Be pretty awesome if we could get over $5,000 today.
Nice job BN! $4,340 so far!
Love this! I’ve shared the link everywhere I can.

If people were as passionate about saving ALL lives as they are covid lives, we’d triple this amount overnight.

I‘m still hoping.
Passed $5,000 this morning! Great job everyone!

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:47 am
by ilovethecats
Cataholic wrote:
Mon Aug 10, 2020 9:18 am
ilovethecats wrote:
Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:56 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sun Aug 09, 2020 4:38 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:52 pm
Cataholic wrote:
Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:02 pm
Over $2,000 in 48 hours! Great job Bobcat Nation!!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-macs-heart-fight
Over $3,100 now! Be pretty awesome if we could get over $5,000 today.
Nice job BN! $4,340 so far!
Love this! I’ve shared the link everywhere I can.

If people were as passionate about saving ALL lives as they are covid lives, we’d triple this amount overnight.

I‘m still hoping.
Passed $5,000 this morning! Great job everyone!
=D^

Way to spearhead this thing!

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:09 am
by Cledus
This campaign for little Lyam began on May 7 and didn't have a single donation until we learned about it. Now, the campaign is halfway to its goal.

Let's keep the momentum going. Even if it's only $25 these folks could really use it and almost all of us can carve $25 out of our budget. Let's get them to the finish line.

Re: Ty McDonald fighting for son's life

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2020 2:12 am
by blueandgoldblitz
I'm just curious if someone knows the answer to this, but how does an adult kidney fit in a baby? And I'd imagine a heart transplant would have to come from another child? I'd have to think an adult heart would be way too big for a child's chest cavity.