Dominic and Rocco Hester
A Mother’s Story: How Hoxworth Blood Donors Gave Us Time, Joy, and Hope
Darcie Hester knows how precious every moment can be. After suffering the unimaginable loss of two of her young sons to congenital heart and birth defects, she understands firsthand how critical care and the blood transfusions that often support it can mean the difference between more time and goodbye too soon. Today, she and her husband Ryan are turning their grief into hope, honoring their sons by advocating for families facing similar diagnoses and reminding our community of Greater Cincinnati why Hoxworth blood donors play such a vital role in helping local families cherish every possible moment together.
Pregnant with her second child, Darcie Hester and her husband Ryan went for their 20-week ultrasound. That’s where they learned that their son Dominic was diagnosed with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), a condition where the diaphragm does not fully form. Because of this, Dominic’s organs had moved into his chest, compressing his lungs and making it difficult for them to develop.
Dominic was delivered at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital on August 7, 2023 and was immediately intubated and admitted to the NICU. At just four days old, he went into crisis and was placed on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to stabilize him so he could undergo surgery to repair the CDH. The surgery was successful, and while Dominic remained on ECMO for 14 days, his lungs were finally able to expand and begin their work.
Blood Transfusions from Hoxworth Part of Dominic’s Critical Care
Over the following months, Dominic grew and thrived in the NICU. Like many medically complex babies, he faced setbacks along the way, and blood transfusions from Hoxworth donors were frequently a critical part of his care. At four months old, Darcie was finally able to experience the joy of bringing him home.
That joy, however, was short-lived. After two wonderful weeks, Dominic began showing signs of a bowel obstruction. He was rushed back to the emergency room, where doctors discovered a complete ileus of his small intestine. Emergency surgery followed, along with treatment for septic shock. During this hospitalization, we also received devastating news: Dominic had a very rare congenital heart defect called ALCAPA.
Once again, Dominic underwent emergency surgery, this time open-heart surgery on bypass. That meant even more blood products from Hoxworth donors were needed to stabilize him and support his tiny body through surgery and recovery.
Afterward, Dominic looked better than he ever had. He was thriving, full of smiles, giggles, and joy. He became known throughout the unit as the baby who could brighten anyone’s day. On especially hard days, nurses and surgeons would stop by his room just to see Dominic smile.
At 7½ months old, Dominic suffered an unexpected cardiac event that he could not recover from. He is remembered by his family and by his entire medical team as a happy, joyful little boy who never missed an opportunity to smile at anyone who came to talk or play with him.
Rocco's Story
When Darcie was pregnant with her third son, Rocco she almost expected he would have the same diagnosis as Dominic. Based on extensive testing, it was believed that Dominic’s conditions were caused by a spontaneous genetic mutation. But at her 20-week anatomy scan for Rocco, they were shocked to hear another diagnosis: this time Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS).
Cherish Every Moment
“We held onto hope that it was a standalone diagnosis. But after further imaging, we learned Rocco also had CDH. In his case, the combination of conditions was not treatable. With the support of palliative care, we prepared to cherish every moment we would have with him.”
Rocco was born on New Year’s Day, living nine peaceful, loving hours.
“No matter how much time we were given with our boys, we treasured every minute and are forever grateful to be their parents.”
The Gift That Made Time Possible
“Throughout his life, Dominic received at least 63 units of blood. Honestly, that is likely a very low estimate. Without the generosity of Hoxworth blood donors, Dominic would not have survived his first week of life. Because of those gifts from strangers, we were given months of memories, laughter, and joy.”
“We watched firsthand as blood products quite literally transformed our son, taking him from lethargic and critically ill back to the happy, playful baby we knew. Those transfusions were not just medical treatments; they were priceless gifts of time.”
Why Blood Donation Matters
Approximately 1 in every 3,000 babies is born with CDH, and many of them rely on ECMO to survive long enough for repair surgery. Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects, and while severity varies, a significant number of children will require open-heart surgery and large amounts of blood products to survive.
These children and families deserve the chance to experience life, love, and joy. Having blood readily available is not optional, it is essential.
In 2025, Darcie and Ryan hosted the first Dominic and Rocco Memorial Blood Drive with Hoxworth. This is their way of keeping the legacy of these two young boys alive and helping other families just like them through their toughest times by giving them hope and healing.
In Greater Cincinnati, Hoxworth it the sole blood provider to more than 30 local hospitals. That means your donation stays here giving patients and families more tomorrows, more time, more memories. You are saving lives close to home.