Fight Spinal Stroke with 14yo Wyatt Ellis

Team fundraiser

Amy Witt and Kenneth Hogan are organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Sara Hogan.

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Have you noticed how stories of personal triumph often begin with tragedy? How adversity creates modern day hero's? Here is a story of a boy, a would-be hero. Let his battle inspire you to re-examine adversity in your life.

On Sunday, July 26, 2020, 14-year-old Wyatt Ellis went to sleep with a bad headache, only to awaken in the in the intensive care unit at Texas Children’s hospital, paralyzed from the jaw down.

Upon arrival, Wyatt was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, a rare infection that causes swelling of the brain and spinal cord. The swelling tissue compressed his spinal cord against his skull, blocking blood flow, resulting in a severe spinal cord injury and paralysis initially from the jaw down. Wyatt’s current condition is called "Locked In Syndrome" (LIS) or pseudo coma. Wyatt is fully conscious with his mental capacity unaffected, but he cannot move or communicate verbally due to paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in his body, except for eye movements, blinking, and now smiling.

YES, SMILING :-)

Even though Wyatt is trapped inside his body, he remains positive and funny. He has been learning to communicate by blinking his eyes to indicate a letter and spelling words. It is a very tedious and frustrating process to say the least.

His first word, H-U-N-G-R-Y

His second word, C-H-I-C-K--F-I-L--A (his favorite fast-food restaurant :-)

Prior to Wyatt’s illness, he was a healthy and active teenager who loved to fish, explore the outdoors, and ride his mountain bike in state parks. He is well known for his constant smile, positive outlook, and resilient spirit. Wyatt has been eagerly awaiting playing high school football his freshman year. He deserves every opportunity to rebuild his life.

The Wyatt that we know and love is still very much with us. Doctors are treating him as a spinal stroke patient, but only time will tell if he might regain use of his body, including the ability to breath or swallow on his own. He will require continued medical support, extensive rehab, advanced eye-communication devices, and long-term care to build a new life.

Hospital visitation restrictions due to Covid-19 are adding additional hardships by preventing other family members from visiting and taking shifts at the hospital. Wyatt’s mother and father have been alternating shifts by his side continuously. They are the only family permitted access. Their hometown is nearly 80 miles away (one way) from the hospital and Wyatt has five other siblings at home.

We have started this recovery fund to help Wyatt’s family pay for on-going medical costs, lodging, fuel, food, parking, and to acquire better communication devices so Wyatt can communicate his basic needs. Please help us support Wyatt Ellis and his family and give him the best chance at life. His family has a very rough road ahead and we are continually praying for the best possible outcome. Wyatt’s family would like to express their deepest gratitude to everyone who has offered to help and for their continued prayers.

You can follow Wyatt's story here on his mother's Facebook page: