Greene County Toddler 'Faces' Promising Future After Surgery

"Everything's just wonderful. It's a miracle from God. We're just so happy about everything," mother Mary Bew said. "It's amazing. It really is."

Jay had a hemangioma, a benign tumor or mass of blood vessels. About one in 50 children are born with them.

Jay's tumor was near a main artery, and no doctor in North Carolina would risk removing it. So last week, Jay and his mom set off on a cross-country journey. His mom found a specialist in California who would perform the operation.

"You know then I just found my way to him, and it's just so amazing how everything just, you know, it's definitely meant," Mary said. "There's no doubt about it that this all happened for a reason."

Mary Bew is especially grateful to the people of Greene County. They raised thousands of dollars to pay for Jay's surgery because insurance would not cover it.

"Every night, we said our prayers and we put everybody at home in our prayers," she said. "Right after surgery, the next day when we took the bandages off, he looked in the mirror and he looked at me and he said, 'Mommy, my boo boo face is gone.'"

"He had the biggest smile on his face and he's been so happy," Mary said.

Jay's surgeon says his face should heal in about six months and that Jay will probably not need any more surgery. The operation cost about $15,000. The community raised more than $80,000. After all the bills are paid, the family plans to donate the rest of the money to the Hemangioma Society.