What does it really look like to raise a child when doctors say he won’t survive?

In this episode of Your Biggest Breakthrough, Ken and Mary Sue Grein share the deeply personal story of raising their son, Jacob Grein, over the course of 37 years. Born six weeks premature, Jacob faced severe medical complications, physical disabilities, deafness, and ongoing health challenges that required constant care from the day he entered the world.

Ken and Mary Sue open up about the realities of parenting a medically fragile child—the fear, exhaustion, faith struggles, marriage pressures, and the daily decisions to keep going when answers didn’t come easily. They reflect on the moments when they had to surrender outcomes to God, redefine what healing and success truly meant, and learn to live with hope amidst long-term caregiving.

This episode isn’t about a quick miracle. It’s about faith lived out over decades, love that never wavers, and a son whose life profoundly shaped his family in lasting ways.

If you’re a parent walking a difficult road, a caregiver feeling unseen, or someone wrestling with unanswered prayers, Jacob’s story—and his parents’ journey—will encourage you to keep going, one day at a time.

Chapters:

[00:00] Podcast Preview

[01:30] Topic and Guest Introduction

[03:25] Jacob Grein’s Traumatic Premature Birth

[04:35] Surrendering Jacob’s Life to God

[06:54] Doctors Give Jacob Six Months to Live

[09:50] Learning to Live Moment by Moment

[11:40] Bringing Jacob Home After 137 Days in NICU

[13:50] Discovering That Jacob is Deaf

[15:14] How Jacob’s Illness Tested Their Marriage

[18:21] Years of Surgeries and Setbacks

[20:32] Raising Other Children While Caring for Jacob

[22:00] Accepting Jacob’s Disabilities

[23:53] Caregiving as a Lifelong Calling

[26:14] How Jacob Became Their Greatest Teacher

[27:53] New Definition of Success and Purpose

[28:30] Jacob’s Joy Despite Suffering

[33:04] Losing Jacob After 37 Years

[36:44] Healing After Caregiving Ends

[39:13] Why Jacob’s Story Brings Hope to Others

[40:50] Where to Find Jacob’s Story Book

Resources mentioned:

Get Your Copy of Jacob’s Story

Guest's bio and social handles:

Kenneth and Mary Sue Grein have been married for over four decades and are the parents of four children: Jacob, Hannah, Luke, and Grace. Their love story began at Rockmont College in Denver, Colorado, where they met during freshman orientation in 1977. Ken, a former college basketball player and lifelong contractor, grew up on his family's farm in Brighton, Colorado, where he learned the values of hard work and perseverance that would serve him throughout Jacob's medical journey. Mary Sue, a gifted pianist and devoted mother, became Jacob's primary caregiver and fiercest advocate, developing an expertise in medical terminology and special needs care that few parents possess.

Together, they navigated 37 years of medical challenges, hospital stays, and daily caregiving while raising three other children and maintaining their faith through the darkest moments. Their experience as parents of a child with multiple disabilities taught them profound lessons about love, resilience, and finding joy in the smallest victories. The Grein’s unwavering commitment to treating Jacob as a full member of the family—never as a burden—became a model for other families facing similar challenges.

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