Andrew Kaczynski poses with his wife Rachel Louise Ensign and their newborn daughter. (Photo: Andrew Kaczynski/Twitter)
CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski and his wife Rachel Louise Ensign have welcomed a new baby, more than one year after the death of their 9-month-old daughter Francesca, who the couple affectionately nicknamed “Beans.”
Kaczynski announced the arrival of their daughter Talia Davida Kaczynski in a Jan. 29 Twitter post, and shared that her name has a special meaning to the family.
“Introducing the newest member of our family, who joined us Thursday,” he wrote alongside photos of the newborn. “Talia Davida Kaczynski. She was named with the Hebrew name of her big sister Beans. We love her endlessly.”
He also shared that Talia and Beans share a striking resemblance, writing, “We love how much she looks like her big sister she’s named for. Beans on left, Talia on the right.”
In September 2020, Kaczynski shared on social media that Beans was diagnosed with an “extremely rare and very aggressive rhabdoid brain tumor.” She went through two brain surgeries to treat the condition, however, in December of that year, she developed a fungal infection and was put on a ventilator. She passed away on Christmas Eve.
The couple wrote an obituary for their young daughter, describing her as an “outgoing, bold and curious baby.”
“A Brooklyn-based Sesame Street fan, Francesca enjoyed taking long walks around New York City and Boston, playing with her toys and balloons, attending speech therapy, and “petting” (i.e. grabbing) her cat Ryland,” reads the post. “One of her favorite activities was to practice rolling in her crib from side to side. She loved seeing her parents, Andrew Kaczynski and Rachel Ensign, and greeting them with the world’s biggest smile and an excited kick when she woke up from a nap.”
Beans’ parents are now raising money via “Team Beans,” a fund supporting infant brain tumor research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The donation page for Team Beans reads, “Every single day there is another child like Francesca. A child who dies. A family whose lives are shattered with their diagnosis. A devastated family learning their child’s relapsed. Unfortunately, we as a society aren’t doing enough for these kids. Sadly, given the small number of patients, private industry does not invest or develop drugs for childhood cancers like brain cancer. Instead, smart researchers and oncologists like those at Dana Farber work to develop treatments using adult cancer drugs. This research and these clinical trials are expensive – they take years and cost millions of dollars.”
In honor of Talia’s birthday on Jan. 27, followers of Team Beans on social media are donating $27 towards the fund.
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