“I’m at Riley Hospital with Matt. Braxton was life lined from Martinsville. His white cell count was 860,000; it should be 10,000.”
That message stopped me cold.
Just one week earlier, Braxton was kayaking with family in Kentucky — teasing his younger siblings, laughing, and brainstorming ways to turn his skills into a meaningful career.
Then, on Monday, June 9, everything changed.
Braxton was airlifted in critical condition from an ER in Martinsville to the PICU at Riley. His body was shutting down from an unknown illness. By the time he arrived, he had been sedated and intubated — his condition far too unstable to manage without full support.
By Tuesday morning, we had a diagnosis: T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia — an aggressive, fast-moving cancer. Doctors warned Matt and Amanda he might not survive the night.
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“He’s not going to make it. We’re gathering family.”
In just a few days, Braxton’s condition become more dire:
- Kidney failure requiring 24/7 dialysis
- Dangerously low blood pressure and heart rate
- Internal bleeding of unknown origin
- Swelling so severe it compromised even basic medical equipment
- Imaging impossible — any movement caused his vitals to crash
Still, Braxton fought.
And his care team fought alongside him.
PICU nurses, residents, specialists — they all worked around the clock. Matt and Amanda never left his side. Even when doctors said there was nothing more to do, they kept advocating, asking, believing.
Thanks to their love and determination, a CT scan was finally performed. It revealed the source of his internal bleeding: a massive rupture in Braxton’s spleen.
Braxton was rushed into emergency surgery to address the rupture. The risk was enormous, the outcome uncertain.
Our boy wasn’t fazed.
He kept fighting.
He pulled through.
He survived.
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Today, Braxton remains in critical condition. He’s still sedated. He’s still fighting. But there are small signs of hope:
- His blood pressure is stabilizing
- He’s down to one heart medication
- His swelling has subsided, and his color is returning
His care team continues to fight as hard as he does. Matt and Amanda are still by his side — and they continue to advocate, ask, believe.
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Braxton is only 19 years old. When he wakes up, he’ll face a long, painful road to recovery — and the crushing burden of medical debt. His family is doing everything they can, but the costs are overwhelming.
We’re asking for your support to help cover the cost of:
- Life-saving ICU care and treatments
- Emergency surgery and 24/7 dialysis
- Medications, monitoring, and future rehabilitation
- What will likely be years of rehabilitation and follow-up care
Every dollar you give helps Braxton reclaim his future — a future where he can contemplate and chase new goals, enjoy his life, and focus on healing instead of survival.
If you are able to give, please do.
Your donation, no matter the amount, will make a real and immediate difference.
And if you cannot donate, please share.
Send this page to others within your network, post it on your social accounts, text your friends and family.
Your support — financial or not — means the world to our family.
Thank you for helping us fight for Braxton’s life.
Jessica, on behalf of Matt, Amanda, and the Wiggins family
