Sharks star Jesse Ramien’s impassioned plea for help to fund flight to bring baby back to Australia from Bali

Distraught Sharks star Jesse Ramien and his fiancee have made a desperate plea for help from the Australian Government to source a flight back to Australia for their medically-induced baby, and are seeking donations for the estimated cost of $130,000.

NRL star Jesse Ramien and his fiancee Shell have made an impassioned plea for help from the Australian Government after their baby needed to be resuscitated for five minutes after being born six weeks premature at a Bali hospital.

“It’s been as scary as any parent could imagine,’’ Ramien said.

The harrowing experience has led to a distraught Ramien contacting the Australian Embassy in Indonesia in a desperate attempt to source a care flight for their medically-induced baby boy Teo back to Australia at an estimated cost of $130,000.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Ramien’s friend Shavaun Hunt, the partner of Cronulla Sharks teammate Royce Hunt, to help fund the costs of getting the family back to Australia.

Both Shell and Ramien are yet to hold their newborn for fear of infection and have been left to view him in his incubator during two two-hour visiting slots during the morning and afternoon at the Siloam Hospital in Bali.

Such is the desire from Ramien to help his baby boy, the Sharks centre went so far as to say: “I’ll play for nothing just to get our baby boy home safely.

Cronulla star Jesse Ramien and his son Teo.

“There’s just so much uncertainty here. We’ve been told by doctors it could be four weeks before our baby is okay to travel, but that could quickly change to five, six, or seven weeks, who knows.

“We’re doing everything to contact the Australian Embassy to see how we can get home both as quickly as possible, so that our boy can get the medical attention he needs.’’

Cronulla Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta and the NRL are also working closely with Australian consulate officials to fast track the process.

Shell was 33-weeks pregnant and before leaving Sydney for Cronulla player Briton Nikora’s wedding, the couple secured clearance from Shell’s Obstetrician, as well as clearance from the airline and travel insurance cover for her pregnancy.

Post from Briton Nikora's Instagram.

From Kade Dykes' Instagram story.

The ordeal unfolded when Shell went into early labour last Friday and needed to undergo an emergency C-section.

“That was so worrying being in another hospital in another country,’’ Ramien said.

“I wasn’t allowed into the room to be with Shell. It was difficult, especially for Shell.’’

Jesse Ramien and partner Shell Gibbs. Picture: Jonathan Ng

During this time, Shell had to be put under anaesthesia, with doctors then needing to revive their newborn son for five minutes until he started breathing, when he was born just after 11pm.

He was immediately rushed to NICU, where he remains under close watch with the new parents unable to see their boy until 9am the following morning.

“It’s been really hard to get some answers, because as every parent knows, you just want the best care for your baby, it’s certainly been scary for Shell,’’ Ramien said.

“The unfamiliarity of the medical system here and that ability to communicate our concerns in Bali only adds to the stress and emotion around this.’’

Some of the names that have already donated to the Go Fund Me page include NRL stars Nicho Hynes, Blayke Brailey, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Connor Tracey, Hame Sele, Sitili Tupouniua and former player Denan Kemp.

Donations on the Go Fund Me fundraising page to aid the safe transport of Teo from Bali back to Australia had reached almost $30,000 on Wednesday.

“We can’t thank everyone for their care and generosity, we just want to see our baby home safely,’’ Ramien said.

Originally published as Sharks star Jesse Ramien’s impassioned plea for help to fund flight to bring baby back to Australia from Bali