We are Ayden Wheeler!

***HOLY MOLY!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! WE REACHED OUR GOAL. . .BUT LET'S KEEP GOING!!! Please know that any money above the initial $3000 will help fund travel expenses for the Wheelers to visit Ayden at the RTC in Austin - which is 3 hours away - and pay for additional therapies; he will likely be hospitalized for a year. Again, may God bless you 100-fold!***

To know Ayden, is to love him.

Meet Ayden Wheeler:

Ayden was born addicted to drugs and left in a swing for most of his first year on this planet.  Once able to walk, he was placed outside and spent most of his time alone in the woods or in an abandoned car, using a blue tarp as "his blanket" to keep warm.  As a toddler, Ayden was forced to find food with the dogs and survive on his own.  On the rare occassion where he did have contact with the humans meant to care for him, he was horrifically abused, beaten, and burnt.  

Ayden survived his early years by the grace of God alone.

Ayden was considered feral by the time he was finally placed in foster care when he was 3 years old.  Confused and scared, Ayden bounced from foster home to foster home - none of which lasted longer than three days. He was living in a shelter when an amazing family, the Wheelers, got a call that CPS wanted a group foster home for him. Not only did the Wheelers say "yes" - but they immediately fell in love with him and adopted him one year later.

As a result of extreme trauma, neglect, and his early exposure to chemicals and drugs, Ayden's brain is the size of a two-year-old and responds like an Alzheimer's patient.  He is diagnosed with autism and  PTSD encephalopathy - among many other things.  He has been in kindergarten for two years and is very delayed. He has made progress with feeding and caring for himself and has deeply attached to his family.

In March of this year, at the tender age of 6, Ayden's trauma finally became too much for his brain and spirit to handle and he broke.  He is now a danger to himself and his family and has been in and out of psychiatic wards ever since . The doctors have determined that the only way Ayden will ever have a chance to function in society, and go back to his family, is by living in a Nuero Resident Treatment Center (RTC).  Nuero RTC do intensive nuero work that regular facilities don't; they address problems in the brain, not just behaviors. 

Many people have told the Wheeler's to give up on Ayden, but they refuse.  And so do we!  Ayden deserves to live and be loved!

Here's where you come in. . .

We need to raise $3000 to save Ayden!  That's it!  $3000 will pay the deductible  for him to stay at the Meridell Neuropsychiatric RTC in North Austin to help him get the intensive treatment he needs to rejoin the only family he has ever known.  $3000 will pay for genetic testing that will help figure out a more long term prognosis. Without it, the Wheelers will be forced to place him in an institution.  

We cannot let that happen!

Please, please, please be part of the force of good that will save this sweet boy.  Let the world know that Ayden is not alone.  Let the world know that this boy is worth saving.  Let the world know that "We Are Ayden Wheeler!"    

Please know that no act of kindess is too small:  $10 is $10 and a Share/Tweet/Email is foward momentum to help pay it forward to reach our goal! 

"The first week Ayden was in our home he was scared to go to bed. One night I was laying down with him and asked him what makes him feel safe? He pointed to a picture on the wall of Jesus and said "he does." I asked if he knew who it was. He said that is the man who used to hide me when people wanted to hurt me and he would bring me food when I was hungry. A few months later Ayden was having dental work done. (He had to have surgery on all of his rotten teeth.) He was crying and I asked him if he was hurting after his surgery. He said, "I can't see Jesus anymore. That is why I'm sad."  I asked him why he couldn't see Jesus anymore. He said, "I feel him, but he told me I have a mom now to take care of me." Despite all of Aydens hardships in life, he still loves. He still wants to do good and truly cares for others. He loves listening to music and singing and loves getting hugs. He is a miracle to me. he has the greatest laugh and is amazingly resilient. He has a warrior spirit. It is capable of kindness despite people that should have cared for him and protected him abusing his body and spirit."  - Shanna Wheeler, Ayden's Forever Mother



Please consider sharing, posting, tweeting, and/or donating. Thank you so much for your consideration.  God Bless!

A word of thanks from the Wheelers:

Amazing. We have been so touched by the generosity. Thanks to all. We are so blessed to have Ayden in our family and be supported by an amazing community. You have all given so generously that it has raised more than his deductible. Ayden will be placed in a hospital about three hours from his home so we appreciate the extra funds that will help pay for our transportation to visit him and for additional therapies he will need. Thank you so much.