The "Krone" helps

Baby Jonas without eyes: “He should grow up normally”

The parents with the youngest of their four children

(Bild: Verena Panzitt)

Five weeks ago, a baby was born in Styria - without eyes. Now donations are being collected for a guide dog. The "Krone" and its readers are helping!

The mother of little Jonas is a "professional boy mom": she had already given birth to three sons before the now five-week-old, adorable newborn. But that's precisely why the Styrian immediately noticed after the uncomplicated birth: "He was adorable, smiled - but kept his eyes shut tightly. And never opened them at all!"

She immediately drew attention to this and was initially told: "It'll be fine, they're still stuck shut, let's give him time. "But I immediately had a bad feeling. Also because my eyes seemed so flat under the closed lids."

Jonas was born without eyes due to a rare genetic defect.

(Bild: Verena Panzitt)

Rare genetic defect in Jonas
An ultrasound confirmed the mom's uneasy feeling: "Jonas has a form of the extremely rare genetic defect nanophthalmos. He was born without eyes."

At first, the family's world collapsed. Now they want to face up to the task: "Jonas should be able to grow up as normally as possible. But we have to prepare for that."

Jonas should be able to grow up as normally as possible. But we have to build ahead.

Die Eltern von Jonas

An avalanche of costs for the family
The community in which the popular family lives immediately launched a fundraising campaign. Because they are facing a huge avalanche of costs. Remodeling work throughout the house (much of it financed by third parties, as is the case with most house builders) so that the little boy does not injure himself. He is still helpless, like any newborn. Soon he will be able to crawl - but unlike other babies, he won't be able to see anything. He never will.

There are high costs for treatment abroad! "There is a center in Germany that specializes in genetic defects." Of course, treatments, stays and travel are beyond the means of the hard-working family.

If you would like to support: "Die Krone hilft - Steiermark"
IBAN: AT152081500044569523
Keyword: "Jonas"

Special computer costs thousands of euros
And then there is the temporary care that has to be financed. The start of school is also a financially daunting prospect. "A computer with Braille alone costs thousands of euros."

What is very close to the family's heart: a guide dog. After a long period of training, the dog has guided little blind Jonas from the very beginning, guiding him, always protecting him and being there for him.