- Jesse Ramien’s newborn son Teo is in a Bali hospital
- Soccer star tries to raise $130,000 to return home
- Teo was born six weeks early and had trouble breathing
NRL star Jesse Ramien has made an emotional plea to the Australian government to allow him a return flight to Australia from Bali after his newborn son had to be resuscitated for five minutes when he was born.
The football community is rallying around Ramien and his fiancée Shell after their baby Teo was born six weeks early in a Bali hospital and had trouble breathing.
Teo has been placed in an incubator and the Sharks star has contacted the Australian Embassy to arrange a flight back to Australia with an estimated bill of $130,000.
TO GoFundMe page for Teo has been set up by Shavaun, the wife of teammate Royce Hunt, to help cover the cost of bringing the family back to Australian soil.
Sharks stars Britain’s Nikora ($1,000) and Nicho Hynes ($1,500) have already made donations to cover the cost.
Raimen and Shell have not yet kept Teo for fear of infection and went to watch him through the incubator during their visits to Siloam Hospital in Bali.
“I will play for nothing just to get our baby home safely,” Raimen said.
‘There is so much uncertainty here. The doctors have told us that it could be four weeks before our baby can travel, but that could quickly change to five, six or seven weeks, who knows.
Soccer star Jesse Ramien has asked the Australian government for a return flight to Australia from Bali for his newborn baby Teo.
Teo was born six weeks early and had trouble breathing, so he had to be resuscitated for five minutes (Ramien pictured with his wife Shell)
“We are doing everything we can to contact the Australian Embassy and see how we can get home as quickly as possible, so our child can receive the medical care he needs.”
The heartbreaking drama began when Shell, who had been cleared to travel by her obstetrician, went into premature labor on Friday and doctors were forced to perform an emergency Caesarean section.
“It was very worrying to be in another hospital in another country,” Ramien said.
‘I wasn’t allowed into the room to be with Shell. It was difficult, especially for Shell.”
Teo was born shortly after 11pm and doctors spent five minutes reviving him as he struggled to breathe.
A care flight back to Australia has an estimated bill of $130,000 and a Go Fund Me has been set up for donations.
“It’s been really difficult to get some answers because as all parents know, all they want is the best care for their baby, it’s certainly been scary for Shell,” Ramien said.
“The lack of familiarity with the medical system here and the ability to communicate our concerns in Bali only adds to the stress and emotion around this.”
Football stars like Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell have been spreading the word about the GoFundMe page.
