Griffin Mueller

Griffin Alexander Mueller, 5 months, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, went to be with the Lord Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. Griffin was born on November 30, 2023 in St. Louis, MO to Michael and Pamela Powell Mueller. He was born with multiple very rare health conditions (CHARGE Syndrome, Congenital Athymia, and Tetralogy of Fallot). Despite all of his medical difficulties, Griffin was a fighter and never let those issues hold him back from being such a strong and content little boy. He enjoyed being held and loved on by his family, playing music with his music therapist, and most of all winking at all the nurses. He was a quiet boy that was always watching with his big, adorable eyes everything that was happening around him. He enjoyed playing with toys on the floor with his parents and the nurses, but his favorite game of all was creating a medical puzzle for the doctors to solve. He arrived into this world with his eyes wide open looking at his momma. The doctors talked constantly about how much better he was doing than they had expected given all of his issues. Within an hour of birth, he was transported from St. Mary's Hospital to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, which he would then call home for the foreseeable future. It was quickly realized after arriving at Cardinal Glennon that Griffin was not an ordinary child and that he was going to need multiple doctors from multiple specialty fields to help him with his challenges. Griffin had a difficult airway that threw the doctors for a loop at times. His breathing issues were complicated more by his heart condition which limited the amount of oxygenated blood to move through his body, his left nostril being closed, and by the unlimited amount of secretions that he produced which would cause him to get grumpy and then aspirate. He was also born with a severely compromised immune system which made treating him more difficult, often causing him to show no signs of an infection until he, without warning, would drop rapidly into a really bad fit with his vital numbers going all over the place. The doctors would run all kinds of tests, x-rays, and exams, then come to find out it was simply a UTI, for example, that was affecting his whole body. He was stable and relaxed most of his days and was quite often a very content boy. He was patiently waiting to be transferred to Duke University Hospital for a thymic transplant and had just officially been put on the wait list the week before he passed. His mother and father had arrived to the hospital late in the night on the 20th of May to spend the night with him as he was scheduled for some operations the next morning. Griffin, as usual, surprised everyone. Late Monday night, he unexpectedly and very rapidly declined in his health and passed away with his medical team doing so much for him, as well as his loving parents by his side. The exact cause of his death isn't known, but it is known that God's watchful eyes were over him as angels ushered Griffin into the Lord's presence. Griffin is dancing with joy in the arms of the Lord, with no more pain and no more issues. He is patiently waiting for the arrival of his parents and family who will miss him greatly here on Earth. He had made such a huge impact on so many people that knew him and touched lives of many others that he had never even met. He will always be missed, and most definitely will always be loved! Pamela and Michael would like to thank all of the Cardinal Glennon NICU staff as well as the various community groups they had supporting them during Griffin's life (fellow mom groups, their church family, hospital support, etc.) He is survived by his parents; brother, Rodney Mueller; grandparents, Dana Mueller, Brenda Sue (Jason) Smith, Tony (Brenda Ann) Powell, and Judi Hauth; as well as many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Visitation will be 9:30am to 11:00am on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. Funeral Service will then be at 11:00am, also at the church, with pastors Nathan Franks and Mark Anderson officiating. Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery in Cape Girardeau following the funeral service. If friends and family feel inclined to give, memorial contributions may be made to The CHARGE Syndrome Foundation (318 Half Day Rd. #305, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089) or to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital (1465 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63104). Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com Ford & Sons Funeral Home - Mt. Auburn is in charge of arrangements.

Tributes

Griffin Mueller

November 30, 2023 - May 21, 2024