Help Sammy Walk and Talk Again

Help Sammy Walk and Talk Again

Our Story

Hello, we are the parents of a brave 12-year-old boy named Sammy. We are reaching out to you with heavy hearts and a desperate plea for help. Our sweet, gentle Sammy, who loved playing soccer and building intricate Lego projects, is now fighting for his life.

Three weeks ago, our world was turned upside down. Sammy caught a stomach bug and, just as we thought he was recovering, he suddenly gasped, "Dad, I can't breathe." In an instant, he collapsed, stopped breathing, and went into cardiac arrest. Our daughters, aged 8 to 15, watched in distress as paramedics burst in and tried to revive him. They managed to find a pulse and transferred him to Rutherford County Hospital, where an airlift transfer was organized immediately to Vanderbilt Medical Center.

Deprived of oxygen, Sammy's brain suffered extensive damage and inflammation. He was placed in an induced coma for two weeks. When his life support was removed, he miraculously began to breathe on his own. However, doctors warn that damage to parts of his brain means he may never walk or talk again. He remains in a vegetative state, unresponsive, but we believe he can hear us, and his bodily functions are intact. We continue to pray, holding onto the hope that with specialized care and rehabilitation, he might learn to walk and talk again.

Who Sammy Is

Sammy is not just a patient; he is our beloved son, a brother, and a friend. He has always been full of life, with a smile that could light up any room. He has a talent for building intricate Lego sets, often spending hours creating masterpieces that amazed us all. His passion for soccer saw him playing with his friends every chance he got, dreaming of one day becoming a professional player. Sammy's laughter, his curiosity, and his boundless energy are deeply missed by his sisters, who look up to him as their hero. He also loved all creatures big and small, especially his two pet frogs and a tarantula spider, which he cared for deeply.

Our Urgent Need

Our family is facing an unimaginable challenge. We need to be by Sammy's bedside, but we don't have a car, and it costs $80 a day in Uber fees to visit him at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. Sammy's father is a stroke victim and cannot work, and I, his mother, the main breadwinner, have had to stop working to care for him. We are broke and living in a hotel room with our three other children.

Doctors want to move Sammy to Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a rehab facility specializing in brain injuries, as soon as possible to give him a chance at recovery. The costs are exorbitant. We need to cover extensive medical care, ongoing rehab, moving costs for our family, and loss of income as I need to be by his side as a full-time carer.

How You Can Help

We desperately need your help to give Sammy a chance at recovering. We need at least $20,000 to get us through initially. Anything will help. Right now, we cannot even afford to get Ubers to the hospital, let alone afford to relocate our family to Atlanta from Nashville. We need to be with Sammy. His sisters miss him dearly - his cheeky taunts, his fun, his everything. We could never imagine a world so bleak and are hopeful that with time, our son can have some kind of life again.

Our Community's Role

Your support means the world to us. Every donation, every share of our story, brings us one step closer to being able to give Sammy the care he needs. The trauma and pain we are feeling are overwhelming, but we hold on to hope for Sammy's recovery. We believe in the power of community and know that with your help, we can overcome this unimaginable challenge.

Updates and Gratitude

We will provide regular updates on Sammy's progress, our family's situation, and how the funds are being used. Your support gives us hope and reminds us that we are not alone in this journey. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your kindness and generosity. Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference. Please help our little boy.

Please help us give Sammy the chance he deserves.

With gratitude,

Janette and Adam, Sammy's parents.

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UPDATE: Aug 12

Sammy is still in Vanderbilt and waiting for his feeding tube to be replaced with a stomach peg (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) so he can get his nutrition directly through his stomach. He needs this procedure done before he can be moved.

On another note, good news regarding his awareness. His nanna from Australia called via Facetime a couple of days ago to sing Happy Birthday to Sammy (he has turned 13). He seemed to respond to her, blinked and even gave a tiny smile! So he does have some degree of awareness, even though he can't speak.