Rory Feek has announced that his daughter Indiana Boone Feek will undergo open heart surgery, sharing the news in a blog post titled “Bless Her Heart.”
Indiana, the daughter of Rory and the late Joey Feek of country duo Joey + Rory, was born on February 17, 2014, with Down syndrome. Roughly half of children born with Down syndrome are diagnosed with heart conditions, and Indiana was among them. A screening shortly after birth revealed she had a ventricular septal defect — a small hole in the heart that produces a murmur. While many such defects close without intervention or remain manageable throughout a person’s life, Indiana’s has reached the point where surgery is necessary.
A Condition That Has Followed Indiana Since Birth
According to Rory’s blog, Indiana’s cardiologist made clear that her condition is not immediately life-threatening, but that leaving it unrepaired would, over time, affect both her quality of life and her life expectancy. Armed with that guidance, Rory took Indiana to multiple hospitals across Texas before settling on Dr. Frasier at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin — a practical choice, given that the family has been living near Waco.
The surgery is scheduled for a Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. and is expected to last up to seven hours. Indiana will then spend approximately one week in the ICU before returning home for a six-to-eight-week recovery.
A Family No Stranger to Hardship
Joey + Rory first came to national attention as third-place finishers on the 2008 television competition Can You Duet?, building a devoted following through their traditional country sound and Christian faith. Before the duo rose to prominence, Rory had already established himself in Nashville as a songwriter with cuts recorded by artists including Blake Shelton and Clay Walker.
Months after Indiana’s birth, Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer. After an initial surgery appeared successful, the disease returned in 2015, spreading despite additional surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. Joey continued recording during that period, contributing to the album Hymns That Are Important to Us. She entered hospice care in October 2015 after treatment stopped producing results and passed away on March 4, 2016, at the age of 40.
Rory has continued raising Indiana in the years since, keeping fans connected to her milestones through his blog. In his post announcing the surgery, he wrote that Indiana and her church congregation — more than a thousand strong — have already been praying together, and that Indiana herself has been asking God for a miracle. Fans who have followed this family through years of joy and grief will no doubt be watching closely in the days ahead.
