2024-25 Miracle Kids
STONE, AGE 12 - MIRACLE CHAMPION
In August 2022, Stone’s mom was awakened in the early morning hours by their dog’s barking. When she went to Stone’s room to check things out, she found him unresponsive. The dog’s barking alerted the family that Stone was not okay. He was rushed to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger where they learned Stone had suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm, and had aspirated. While undergoing treatment, Stone had heart spasms and multiple strokes. He lost the ability to walk, talk and move, and things did not look good for him.
Stone’s mom, twin sister and extended family and friends held fast to their faith that he would pull through. After a lengthy stay in PICU, he transitioned to Pediatric Acute Care before finally going to rehab. Stone’s recovery is nothing short of miraculous as he is not only walking and talking but is now in middle school playing in the band.
BROOKLYN, AGE 9
While on a family vacation in Florida in 2021, then six-year old Brooklyn started complaining of severe stomach pain. She was taken to a local ER, and lab tests and a CT scan revealed the unthinkable: Brooklyn had leukemia. Because there was no children’s hospital there, Brooklyn was airlifted to another facility and immediately began chemotherapy treatment before being transported back home to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.
Brooklyn’s journey was full of challenges including surgery for a perforated bowel which nearly claimed her life. As she continued her maintenance phase of treatment, the entire team at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger rallied around the family making her most difficult of days seem less stressful. In December 2023, Brooklyn “rang the bell” signifying the end of her cancer treatment and is ready to take on the world! She enjoys playing softball, helping others and loves going to the beach.
WHITLEIGH, AGE 6
Whitleigh’s parents were excited to learn that they were expecting twins but concern soon set in when a sonogram revealed that their baby girl only had one kidney. Once the babies were delivered in July 2017, brother Wallace spent 7 days in NICU for retraction in his breathing. However, Whitleigh was diagnosed with VACTREL Association which involves multiple anatomical defects. VACTERL stands for vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiac defects, trachea-esophageal fistula, renal anomalies and limb abnormalities. People diagnosed with this association typically have at least three of the defects; Whitleigh was born with all of them.
Her first surgery was at 48 hours old. She spent 30 days in the NICU and had a series of tests, a blood transfusion and many more surgeries. The medical teams at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger helped save her life on several occasions, and cautioned the family the family that Whitleigh would probably never walk or talk. Amazingly, she surpassed all expectations and is walking, talking, dancing and turning one-hand cartwheels!
ANNA, AGE 2
At 10 weeks of pregnancy, Anna's fetal scans showed a forming omphalocele, a rare condition in which both her liver and small intestines formed outside of the body. Anna would spend her first 2 months of life in Erlanger's NICU where she continued to experience setbacks. Tests revealed that she also had underdeveloped lungs, leading to a tracheostomy to assist with her breathing. Anna spent an additional 3 months in the PICU before being sent home… for the first time. After three weeks at home, Anna's omphalocele ruptured, and she was rushed to the Children's Hospital ER. She would go on to have multiple surgeries and lose a large portion of her small intestine before finally returning home in August 2022.
While there will be future procedures, Anna has absolutely thrived at home. Today, she is exceeding expectations by taking steps with minimal assistance, communicating with sign language, and trying new food. She loves Sesame Street and Itsy Bitsy Spider. Without the care from the medical staff at Children's Hospital at Erlanger, none of this would be possible.