Community Rallies Around Baby Born Without Eyes

KYLE, Texas, Nov. 12, 2009— -- Expectant parents dream of looking into their baby's eyes once their bundle of joy has arrived. But for new parents Bridget and Mike Wildschuetz of Kyle, Texas, that day will have to wait.

"We just felt that our faith in God and his plan and purpose for her was what was going to carry us through this," Bridget Wildschuetz, 31, said. "So at that point, we said, 'We're going to name her Faith.'"

Faith, or "Super Baby Faith," as she is known by her family and friends, was diagnosed with severe bilateral microphthalmia, a rare congenital disorder that results in little to no eye development, usually during the first trimester.

Geneticists believe that only one in every 10,000 births will have some form of the condition, which could leave patients with no structure, or globe, in either eye, depending on its severity.

"She's 100 percent totally blind," Mike Wildschuetz, 34, said of his daughter. "She's never going to be able to see anything. It's just basically an empty socket."

Although her parents say they are up for the challenge, there is still the issue of finances. Mike Wildschuetz, a mining engineer, was laid off from his supervisor job in October 2008 and left work permanently to help take care of 2-month-old Faith. His wife works as a physical education teacher at a local elementary school.

But with Faith's medical bills starting to trickle in, along with other standard payments, Mike and Bridget said they can't help but feel overwhelmed.

"Every day we get bills in the mail," Bridget said. "It's never ending."

The Wildschuetzes say they have only been able to move forward thanks to the support of family and friends and their faith in God. To help alleviate some of the costs, members of their church, The Connection Church, have donated to a benefit fund created for Baby Faith.

If you are interested in donating to the Wildschuetzes please CLICK HERE.

Since the fund started in late September, $1,447 has been deposited, with family pastor Nic Burleson hoping to raise more by selling rubber bracelets with Faith's name on them.