07/09/2026
Supporting Danny Christensen and Family
By Justine Hemmestad
The Southeast Valley community is coming together to support 13-year-old Daniel “Danny” Christensen, son of Janessa and Shannon Christensen, as he continues to recover from a serious medical emergency that has required long hospital stays, multiple specialists, and major heart surgery.
To lift up Danny and his family during this time, a benefit will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 5-8 p.m. at Harcourt City Park.
The benefit will feature a free-will offering dinner, music, a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, and bake sale. Music will be performed by Jake Grossnickle, Travis Klingson, and Monte Grossnickle. The dinner will include pulled pork, cheesy potatoes, baked beans, desserts, and other items from the bake sale.
Community members are also being asked to help support the event through donations for the silent auction.
Lynn Bumsted shared on Facebook that the organizers are continuing to look for items to benefit Team Danny and the Christensen family. “We are looking for donations for Silent Auction items. If you have something to donate, please reach out to myself!” Bumsted wrote on facebook.
Suggested donation ideas include gift certificates, baskets, home décor, baked goods, games, toys, customized items, or anything else community members are able to create or contribute to help the Christensen family.
Brittany’s Designs Studio has also offered to create shirts for Danny’s fundraiser closer to home. Shirts can be ordered through her online store by selecting “Team Danny Fundraiser.” https://brittanys-designs-studio.square.site/shop/team-danny-fundraiser/ANVEHBTEQH4GUUZRUPID42M5
Donations for the benefit can be accepted through Angie Kiefer at 515-351-9882 or by email at [email protected].
Danny’s mother, Janessa Christensen, shares that the family’s medical journey began suddenly on Wednesday, June 24, when she took Danny to the emergency room after he became critically ill.
She took Danny to UnityPoint Health – Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, where she says, “the Staff we had was amazing, between the Nurse Practitioner, and the Blanks Dr, and especially the nurse.”
Around 9 p.m., Danny was admitted to the UnityPoint Pediatrics unit in Fort Dodge. Janessa said the doctor caring for him continued working to address his serious medical concerns, and arrangements were made for Danny to be transported by LifeFlight to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.
“I arrived to Blanks around 4 am, where another team of docs were trying to help,” Janessa wrote.
Doctors discovered Danny was septic and immediately began treatment with antibiotics. During that process, they found that his aortic valve had been damaged and that the infection had spread to other parts of his body, including his brain.
Danny’s kidney, lungs, brain, and heart became the four major areas of concern.
An MRI performed Sunday showed that Danny had been experiencing mini strokes.
Doctors knew his heart would require surgery, but they were hopeful in the beginning that he could complete six weeks of antibiotics before undergoing the procedure while allowing time to see how his other organs recovered from the effects of sepsis.
On Tuesday, Danny was transported by LifeFlight to Children’s Nebraska in Omaha. Shortly after arriving, he experienced another serious setback that raised concerns he might need emergency surgery.
A blood transfusion was completed, and although surgery was considered, doctors were able to stabilize him without an emergency procedure.
Doctors discovered Danny had approximately 27 pounds of excess fluid on his body on the following Wednesday, and they began working to remove it. Dialysis was considered but had not been needed at that point.
Danny continued undergoing extensive testing, including daily X-rays and ongoing blood work. Janessa said he had a nurse assigned specifically to him around the clock, providing care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Since arriving at Children’s Nebraska, doctors have identified multiple serious complications caused by the infection and sepsis.
In all, Danny has endured strokes and mini strokes affecting the brain, along with brain lesions; severe damage to his heart, with the aortic valve in urgent need of repair; pneumonia that affects his lungs; kidney problems, with both kidneys struggling but the left kidney worse than the right; and damage caused by sepsis affecting his spleen, liver, colon, and stomach, with some areas not receiving enough blood flow and beginning to die.
Doctors believe Danny’s illness began with a staph infection that entered his bloodstream through his port, which was used for infusions related to an autoimmune condition. The infection then traveled to his heart, causing sepsis in his bloodstream. Because the aortic valve became filled with infection, doctors believe it eventually released the infection throughout his body, affecting multiple organs.
Organizer and beloved friend of the family Angie Kiefer told the Leader that Danny “ended up with a staph infection in his blood stream and it went septic (two weeks ago).”
She explained that Danny had been receiving infusions for an autoimmune condition, and doctors believe the infection likely entered through the port.
“When he went septic it attacked his heart and they had to replace the aortic valve (which they just did this last Monday),” Kiefer said.
Danny now has a pacemaker.
Danny is entering eighth grade at 13 years old, and the benefit is intended to help support the Christensen family as they manage the financial and personal challenges that come with having a child receiving extended medical care away from home.
Kiefer explained that Danny’s parents have not been able to work while focusing on their son’s care. Janessa recently started working for Calhoun County EMS and has not yet accumulated vacation time or other benefits.
“The benefit will help with taking care of things at home, and taking care of things there (in Omaha at the Children’s Hospital),” she added.
Kiefer emphasized that community support is needed as Danny continues his recovery. “We need people to come (to the benefit), and for people to pray,” Kiefer said.
Organizers of the benefit hope for at least 300 people to attend the July 25 event at Harcourt City Park.
The benefit will provide an opportunity for friends, neighbors, and community members to come together, support the Christensen family, enjoy an evening of food and music, and show Danny that he is not facing his recovery alone.
