Support While Our Son Recovers

As friends and family of Alvin Mack & Melissa (Brison) Mack we wanted to share what we are going through. 

Most of you know we together have a combined family of 6 beautiful children. On April 18th our world was shook. My husband got word that our second oldest Alvin Mack III (Bo) whom is a Honor Guard Airman stationed at Bolling Air Force Base in DC was not able to be contacted during a accountability check and was later found unresponsive in his dorm room on base. We have no real explanation but he was without oxygen for a unknown amount of time when he was found. He was taken to a DC hospital and is currently in the ICU in critical condition on a ventilator.




They have found no drugs in his system. We currently have no real diagnosis or answers but have been in regular contact with doctors and nurses over the past few days trying to figure out what could have caused this and how can they can  fix it.




What we do know is that Alvin (Bo) is on a ventilator and not currently breathing on his own. He is in a obtunded state (similar to coma but not the same) which would explain him not waking up. Bo has COVID symptoms but continues to test negative for COVID which is good. He has pneumonia they are treating for which is causing a fever. They have ruled out seizures and have been treating him with antibiotics for infection. He is not out of the woods but he is vitals are finally stable for the first time in five days. They have not ruled out him recovering from this so the doctors have given us scenarios for what recovery may look like. 




It is heartbreaking that we are unable to visit or be there for him due to the Covid-19 concerns but it was highly suggested by Doctors that we be closer to the area in the event we were approved to visit should his health deteriorated any further. We never thought we’d ever have to fathom that about our perfectly healthy 19 year old child. We have been able to FaceTime with him twice to see him and it helps that the nurses have been filling in the gap and taking great care of him.




We are shattered and broken and his entire family is feeling a pain we can’t begin to understand how to process at this time.




We are hopeful after talking to the doctors today that even though he still is not out of the woods due to the pneumonia that he still has a fighting chance at long term recovery.




Luckily Bo is active duty and we shouldn’t face hardship of any medical related expenses. This undoubtedly however will eventually take a financial toll with hotels as we continue to navigate what help the military may be able to give. I’m committed to ensuring financially we can still maintain all normal household expenses while ensuring that my husband can remain in the area closer to his son as the situation is still very scary minute to minute since he is still critical and being assisted by a ventilator. He feels helpless being hours and states away which any parent would be waiting by the phone.




The outpouring of love for Bo and our family that we have already felt has been incredible.




We feel so helpless and know many of you do too and are blessed that so many are reaching out offering to help by alleviating the added financial stresses that are inevitable in situations like these. We understand that these can be difficult times for many of us. With the current pandemic, which is complicating things beyond what we could imagine, for all of us, and we appreciate anything you feel you’d like to contribute.




Most importantly than anything please keep us, and especially his mother, and his siblings, in both your thoughts and prayers.