Tessa Puma, the Nordonia kindergartner who recently lost part of her leg to a rare infection, has a long road to recovery ahead of her.
One thing’s for sure: She and her family will not have to go it alone.
Support from the Nordonia community and beyond has been pouring in ever since news of her illness and surgery began spreading.
The Nordonia school district planned a “pinkout” Friday for Tessa and her family. All students were encouraged to wear pink, Tessa’s favorite color, and bows, Tessa’s favorite hair accessory. As news about the pinkout spread through social media this week, the Cuyahoga Falls, Kent, Ravenna, Stow-Munroe Falls, Tallmadge and Twinsburg districts joined in.
Tessa had to have her left leg amputated from the knee down last weekend because of a rare condition called necrotizing fasciitis. The condition was caused when bacteria from a strep throat infection got into her bloodstream and spread.
During her most recent surgery on Wednesday, Tessa’s amputation was cleaned up and her leg bone was shortened and covered with soft tissue to form a stump for a future prosthesis, said Dr. Pat Riley Jr., Tessa’s pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Akron Children’s Hospital, on Thursday.
Group A strep in Tessa’s bloodstream traveled to her leg and other parts of her body, killing tissue, skin, and, in a very rare occurrence, muscle. She also had to have some muscle removed from her shoulder, Riley said.
She’ll need two to three skin graft procedures starting next week, Riley said. Eventually a prosthetic company will get involved and come talk with Tessa and her family, but not for at least several weeks.
That first weekend, doctors at one point feared for her life, Riley said.
“[March 31] was the worst night of my career,” Riley said. In his nine years as a doctor, Tessa’s was the worst case he had seen. He’s seen two others, both in adults. He is convinced had Tessa been an adult, she would not have made it, and credits the resiliency of being a 6-year-old, something that hits close to home with him. He is also the father of a 6-year-old girl who loves to dance.
“It’s amazing how strong they’ve been,” he said of Tessa and her family.
Stable but still in the intensive care unit, she now has her signature big pink bow in her hair and painted pink nails. Her breathing tube is out.
“She is talking to us, and watching paw patrol!” her mother, Tina Puma, posted on Facebook. “I said i wanted to send a picture to her Daddy and she smiled so big and pretty for it!! Our always smiling babygirl is back!”
Away from the hospital, a groundswell of support for Tessa and her family is taking shape.
Wearing our bows for Tessa and jerseys for Tyler today! #tessastrong #NFSquirePride pic.twitter.com/KFsmUqkcu1
— Katie DeBord (@KaitlinDeBord) April 6, 2017
The school pinkout idea began with Nordonia parent Dana DiPenti, mother of Rushwood Elementary School first-grader Bella DiPenti, 6, who has danced with Tessa at Center Stage Dance Studio in Northfield for two years. Last summer Bella and other Rushwood first-grade girls played T-ball with Tessa.
DiPenti got the idea from a post on Facebook in which someone said they were wearing a pink T-shirt for Tessa.
“I was trying to think of something we could do with the PTA and school collectively,” DiPenti said. “[I thought], the kids can wear pink. My son wouldn’t have a problem wearing pink at all.”
Once Rushwood Principal Jacqueline O’Mara posted the pinkout plans on social media, it caught on.
“It’s something so small and easy for the kids to do to show support for their friend,” DiPenti said. “The kids are just happy to be a part of it and help their friend.”
In addition to planning the pinkout, the Rushwood staff has made personal financial contributions to the family, and the student leadership team is selling wrist bands that say “Tessa Strong,” O’Mara said. Nordonia senior Julianne Konicek designed a sticker featuring a bright pink bow, ballet shoes and Tessa’s name with the hashtag #TESSASTRONG . Fundraisers are being set up by community groups, and businesses such as Stan’s Northfield Bakery are reaching out as well. Stan’s is selling pink-and-white #TessaStrong cookies, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Puma family. “Dance on Little One,” the bakery said in a recent tweet.
“I think the support being shown is awesome,” Nordonia Superintendent Joe Clark said. “Nordonia is family, and the care people show for each other is inspiring.”
Schools in other districts are inspired to help out as well.
Tallmadge Middle School will represent some PINK Friday with you to support Tessa!
— Tallmadge MS (@TallmadgeMiddle) April 5, 2017
Spread the word people of twitter! https://t.co/AuKEhc363x
Tallmadge Middle School’s administration tweeted to Clark that it would “represent some PINK Friday with you to support Tessa! Spread the word people of twitter!”
Tallmadge Assistant Principal Jeff Manion saw the call to action on social media, and the students picked it up from there, discussing it at their daily morning meeting, Principal Rob Kearns said.
“Our students identify local causes that they identify with,” Kearns said. “This story resonates with our students because it strikes so close to home. Nordonia is one of our Suburban League partners. Our students identify closely with their schools and community.”
“I think it’s ... cool to see other districts join in,” Clark said. “As an aside, you hear so much about today’s kids being self-centered and narcissistic. I couldn’t disagree more. I think kids today are more empathetic, caring, inclusive and generous than any other generation of kids in history.”
They are in good company.
“All of these groups are coming together with a wave of pink clothing to send a simple message to Tessa, that she isn’t alone in her current battle and she is a hero to us all,” Rushwood Principal O’Mara said.
Monica L. Thomas can be reached at 330-996-3827 or mthomas@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @MLThomasABJ and www.facebook.com/MLThomasABJ.