Baby Reese fights, faces long road to recovery

PHOENIX - It's the miracle that 1-year-old Reese Rhone's family has been praying for as an air ambulance brings him and his father back home.

Reese underwent brain surgery at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where doctors removed most of the tumor that was wrapped around his brain stem.

"The operation went good and they got 80 percent out and I feel really happy to be home; thankful for supporters and everybody praying," Matt Rhone, Reese's father, said.

It's been an uphill battle for Reese's parents to get to this point.

At first, they were told Reese's tumor was inoperable, but then, a doctor at St. Jude's said he could perform the surgery.

However, the battle with Reese's medical insurance provider had only begun.

While transportation and the operation were all donated, the care before and after the surgery may not be covered.

Reese's parents have not been able to work for months because they've been caring for their sick son, but despite all of the difficulties, Reese's father says they're grateful to be home and for Reese to have a chance to live.

"Just thank you, thank you to everybody," Matt Rhone said.

Baby Reese now faces a difficult year of chemotherapy, which doctors will hope will remove the remainder of the tumor.

He'll be getting those treatments at Phoenix Children's Hospital.