Help Brayden-Paralyzed in Motorcycle Accident

My name is Carrie, and I've created this campaign for my 15-year-old cousin, Brayden Watkins who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident.

On July 20th 2023, just as he was about to start his sophomore year at Sand Creek High School, Brayden was in a terrible, life-changing accident. After he was rushed to the hospital , doctors determined he has a serious spinal cord injury, as well as a collapsed lung, broken ribs, broken shoulder blade, broken clavicle, and broken vertebrae. He underwent two surgeries in the ICU: one to stabilize his spine and another to repair his broken collarbone. After the spinal surgery, they discovered he has a severely bruised spinal cord and is paralyzed from the waist down. Despite the challenges, we remain hopeful that he may walk again.

Adding to the difficulty, Brayden's father, Russell Watkins, a disabled military veteran and widower, is also raising his six children alone. This tragedy occurred shortly after the loss of Brayden's mother, Kendra Watkins, to colon cancer. Emotionally and financially, this situation is understandably difficult for Russell and his family.

His Journey So Far:

In the ICU, Brayden remained on a breathing tube for a couple of days. He underwent one surgery where they placed 2 rods and 12 screws to fuse his spine and fix his broken vertebrae. After some time in the ICU, they performed a second surgery to repair his broken clavicle. Currently, he is still receiving treatment but has been moved out of the ICU to another medical unit in the hospital where he will be for a couple of weeks. Brayden has been blessed to be surrounded by his loved ones. His father Russell has been sleeping at the hospital and has not left his side.

What his future holds & how we can help:

The next phase of recovery for Brayden will be completing treatment at Craig Hospital, a rehabilitation hospital in Englewood, Colorado that specializes in spinal cord injury.

Through this campaign, we aim to raise funds to provide Brayden with the necessary medical equipment, rehabilitation, and physical therapy he needs to regain independence and carry out daily activities. Your contributions will also help cover any medical bills, ongoing medical treatment, home modifications, and accessible transportation to ensure Brayden's comfort and mobility.

Our primary goal is to alleviate the financial strain Russell is facing, ensuring Brayden receives the best possible care and that their home can be adapted to meet his special needs during recovery and beyond. All the funds from this campaign will go to his father Russell so he may take care of the necessary resources for Brayden.

We kindly ask for your support in spreading the word about our GoFundMe campaign. Please share this with your friends, family, and social networks to reach as many caring people as possible. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your compassion, love, support, and prayers.

With deepest gratitude,

Carrie and the Watkins Family