Death of an Infant Sparks the Birth of a Mission

Rod Dunlap ‘94, like so many of our Moeller alumni, set out on his life’s course with optimism and confidence, ready to fulfill his dreams and start a family.

He and his wife, Maria, had no idea how truly extraordinary their life would be or how their faith, education and experience would guide them through the ultimate challenge and how their impact would literally change people’s lives through a non-profit agency they founded called Vivian’s Victory.

Rod and Maria were married in May, 2011. They soon discovered they would be starting the family they dreamed of and all they could feel was joy. By Spring of 2012, that joy turned to concern as their baby daughter was diagnosed with a serious and rare heart condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS).

The ensuing journey could only be described as pure, raw emotion; two people coming together with hope, faith and prayer that their little Vivian would be okay. The months were not easy and the ordeal tried all faith and patience as they waited for their little angel to arrive. Vivian Teresa was born on July 24, 2012. She was immediately transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital where her race for survival began.

Rod and Maria never left Vivian’s side. They experienced ups and downs, but their faith never faltered. They waited for Vivian’s Victory…for her to win. Vivian was called by God in the wee hours of September 21, 2012. For Rod and Maria, those 59 days were a blessing in so many ways. Because of their faith and strength, derived from their family and friends, they both were able to live each moment with Vivian and began the process of seeing the pure good in what Vivian had brought them.

Through blogging and sharing their experience in other ways, Rod and Maria saw that there were many parents who went through similar experiences who were not prepared to handle the challenges emotionally or financially. They witnessed first-hand that there was a need to help other families in the same or similar circumstances.

“Vivian’s Victory is important to me because although it started out as something to honor our Vivian,” says Maria. “It has grown into something so much more. We wanted to share the love in our hearts and show that every life has a significant purpose.”

“Every single day, there is a new child, a new family that needs hope. We are an outlet of hope for all of these children and families. They invite us into their journey, and that is a true privledge.”

Without a doubt, faith plays an integral part in what Rod and Maria have set-out to do. Rod shares that his first experience as a person who serves, started at Moeller High School. He continues to have a strong devotion to our Blessed Mother, with a picture of Our Lady of Moeller close by his side.

Rod, President of the Board is the husband of Executive Director Maria Dunlap, father of Vivian Dunlap, and also the father of two other beautiful children, Iris and Fulton. He has a Bachelor of Arts in sports management from Ohio University and a Master of Arts in religious studies with an emphasis on pastoral care from Mount St. Joseph University. Rod works fulltime as the director of youth and young adult ministry at St. John the Baptist Parish, Dry Ridge. In his free time, Rod enjoys spending time with his family, hanging out with friends, golfing, and watching sports.

Dan Dunlap ‘98 is the proud uncle of Vivian Dunlap. Dan is the education program manager for the WAVE Foundation at the Newport Aquarium. Before joining the WAVE Foundation, he was a teacher at the Shriners Burns Hospital in Cincinnati for nine years. Dan has also been a golf coach for Moeller for the past dozen years and was named the head varsity coach in 2016. He is a licensed Realtor for Irwin I. Roth, Inc. -- the oldest real estate brokerage in Cincinnati. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and spending time with his wife and daughter, Avery. Also included in his family are a Black Lab, a Jack Russell Terrier, a few cats and a large collection of saltwater fish.

For more information about Vivian’s Victory, please visit www.viviansvictory.org.