Local child recovers from heart surgery

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Five-year-old Cash Bekish was recently in Phoenix recovering from heart surgery, where his mother Tamara, decided to distract him with one of his favorite things, making volcanoes.

Cash was born with heart defects and has been through multiple surgeries.

Before he was even born, the doctors gave his mother Tamara a choice whether to keep him or not. 

She says her faith led her in the right direction.

"If there was going to be a life that I was going to be in charge of, it wasn't going to be up to me [to] take that life or not," said Tamara.

That is how Cash came into this world, however, not without complications.

His latest roadblock was Covid, which caused colitis.

It affected his heart, causing it to stop from pumping blood into his intestine and forcing him to be flown to Phoenix to have heart surgery. 

"We were terrified, you know. We had never been on an airplane, so it was one of those things we're going through...so many different new things, and it's not just for something positive, like a vacation. It's for something that has to do with his health," said Tamara.

After the major procedure, Cash's mom wanted to take him to another world outside of the needles, doctors, and medical machines.

"My main focus was to just be, you know, like almost like Mary Poppins you know just like, 'Cash we're going to do this, and we're going to hang out, and we're going to do this, and you know, while you know there's, like, another side outside this wall," said Tamara.

Ronald McDonald House was there for Cash and his mom along their entire journey. 

"We are a home away from home. for families when their kids are in the hospital for serious medical situations, typically they'll come from outside of the Phoenix Metropolitan area," said Led Gutman, the Chief Development Officer Ronald McDonald House.

Last year alone, they saw 128 families from Yuma County.

Tamara also shares some advice for families going through similar situations.

"Definitely get up-to-date with your medical terminology. It's so much...as a lot of questions to every single person that walks into that room and definitely find a support group and a firm foundation in the Lord," said Tamara.

Cash is now back at home ready to go to school.

His mom is thankful to everyone who helped in her son's recovery.