Support Brantley's Fight against Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

I am starting this fundraiser on behalf of my brother and sister-in-law, Bryson and Tia Riddle, who are the parents of my nephew, 11-year-old Brantley Riddle.

When he was six, Brantley first started having seizures. He was diagnosed early with benign Rolandic epilepsy (BRE), which children typically outgrow after puberty. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that Brantley’s epilepsy was medication-resistant. Bryson and Tia hoped for improvement over time but Brantley’s condition started to progress outside the norms of his initial diagnosis. He would occasionally seize during the day and even started experiencing periods of status epilepticus, where he would seize for hours at a time. Even still, Bryson and Tia were able to provide a fairly normal life for Brantley in the years following his diagnosis.

As Brantley entered into his puberty years, Bryson and Tia were hopeful that this was the start of recovery. However, it became the catalyst for more severe seizures, which led to concussions, injuries, and other complications. After extensive testing and neurology visits, Brantley’s diagnosis was adjusted last year to Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), a rare and severe form of epilepsy. Since his new diagnosis, Brantley has spent six months unable to attend school and facing periods of complete disability where he is unable to talk, walk, or even eat for weeks at a time. Every seizure now brings a “full reset” where Bryson and Tia have to re-teach Brantley how to perform even the most basic of tasks. Doctors suspect that Brantley has sustained permanent brain damage from these last six months of seizures, but they still don’t know to what extent.

Earlier this January, Brantley got sick and his parents took him to the ER, but they were released shortly. A few days later, on Saturday, January 25, Brantley’s condition worsened and his parents rushed him to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. After being admitted, his condition progressively worsened to the point that the doctors transferred him to the PICU (pediatric intensive care unit). Since arriving at the PICU, Brantley has been in a coma. Doctors first worried that Brantley had pneumonia, meningitis, or encephalitis. All of these tests came back negative, which indicates that his seizures and condition are getting progressively worse.

Moving forward, doctors hope to find a solution through stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG), which involves implanting electrodes directly into the brain to identify the sources of Brantley’s seizures. After the SEEG, the doctors hope to follow up with responsive neurostimulation (RNS) surgery, which involves implanting a device into the brain to monitor for seizures and deliver electrical pulses to stop or shorten the seizures.

Brantley is a fighter, and he is surrounded by so many people who love and support him. His parents, Bryson and Tia; his siblings, Jaxon, Lexi, and Ella; his extended family, friends, and teachers are all rooting for him and praying for his recovery. His love for Taco Bell, playing basketball and football, camping, school, and playing with friends and family are all apparent as soon as you talk to him. You can’t help but love the kid anytime you’re around him. But as Brantley’s seizures continue to get more frequent and more severe, the need for Brantley to have full-time care also becomes more apparent, especially as he waits for his SEEG and RNS surgeries. Bryson and Tia will also need to plan for care during Brantley’s recovery period. The emotional, mental, and financial burdens are becoming bigger and more serious.

Bryson is a teacher and basketball coach at a Junior High School, and Tia runs a hair salon from their home. Our hope with this fundraiser is to help alleviate the burden of current/upcoming medical bills and to supplement Bryson and Tia’s income to allow for more full-time care of Brantley until his road to recovery is more solidified and his seizures are under control. All donated funds will go directly to Bryson and Tia for Brantley's medical and caregiving costs. Anything helps and we are so appreciative of anyone and everyone who is able to donate. THANK YOU!