Rory Feek Shares Emotional Update: Daughter Indiana Needs Heart Surgery
on Jun 23, 2026
Indiana Feek, the only child of the late Joey Feek and her husband Rory Feek, will be undergoing open heart surgery.
Indiana Feek Was Born To Country Duo Joey and Rory Feek On February 17, 2014
Country music fans were first introduced to married duo Joey + Rory on the 2008 television show Can You Duet?
They finished in third place, but their popularity continued to grow as they released multiple albums and became known for their traditional country sound and strong Christian faith.
Before they became famous together, Rory was already known in Nashville as a talented songwriter who had written hits for artists like Blake Shelton and Clay Walker.
Beyond their music, Joey and Rory became admired for the simple life they shared on their Tennessee farm. Fans were drawn to their devotion to each other and to the values they expressed through their songs and family life.
In February 2014, the couple welcomed their daughter, Indiana Boone Feek, who was born with Down syndrome. Joey and Rory openly shared their joy in raising Indiana, often speaking about how much she changed and enriched their lives.
Just a few months after Indiana’s birth, Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer. At first, treatment appeared successful, and doctors declared her cancer-free after surgery.
However, in 2015 the cancer returned and spread aggressively. Joey underwent additional surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, while Rory documented their journey on his blog, allowing millions of people to follow their story and pray for the family.
Even during treatment, Joey continued recording music, including the album Hymns That Are Important to Us, which became one of the duo’s most successful projects.
In October 2015, the couple announced that Joey would stop treatment because the cancer was no longer responding. She entered hospice care surrounded by family and close friends. Throughout her final months, Joey focused on spending time with Rory and little Indiana, celebrating milestones like Indiana’s second birthday. Joey passed away on March 4, 2016, at the age of 40. Her death deeply touched fans across the country, many of whom had followed the family’s emotional journey.
After Joey’s death, Rory continued raising Indiana and often shared updates about their life together. Indiana has remained a central part of Rory’s life and legacy, frequently reminding fans of Joey’s love and strength. Although he remarried, he still honors his late wife, even sharing an emotional music video dedicated to her last year.
Indiana Has Had A Heart Issue Her Entire Life
After Indiana was born, she was screened for other health problems. Rory writes in his blog that about 50% of children born with Down Syndrome have heart problems, and Indiana was one of them.
After her first heart screening when she was a baby, Indiana was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), which meant there was a small hole in her heart that causes a murmur.
Usually, VSDs either close on their own or are manageable without treatment, but occasionally, they require surgery when the child is a bit older. Some doctors have said that you can even go on to compete at the Olympics with a VSD, depending on the severity.
Unfortunately, Indiana is one of the children who require surgery, Rory reveals in a new blog post titled “Bless Her Heart.”
He explained that Indy’s cardiologist said her current condition is not life-threatening, but “over time if it isn’t repaired, it could affect not just her quality of life, but the length of life as well.”
Rory reveals he and Indiana traveled all over Texas visiting several hospitals and doctors to figure out which one was the best fit for them. Ultimately, they decided on Dr. Frasier at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin, Texas.
This worked out best for their family, seeing as they have been living not far away in Waco, Texas. He explained that after surgery, Indy will need six to eight weeks of recovery at home.
Indiana will go in for surgery on Wednesday morning at 6 AM, and it will take up to seven hours. Then, she will spend a week in the ICU before being able to be moved home for longer recovery.
He shares all this while asking his online community to pray for his little girl, who has been emotionally preparing for her weeks and months ahead and the unknown.
“Indy knows well that God can do miracles and so that’s what she has been praying for,” he wrote. “We’ve all been praying. On Sunday morning in church, the whole congregation of more than a thousand prayed for her.”
We will keep Indiana in our prayers as she undergoes surgery.
