Together for Jade: A Community Call for Help

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, my 9-year-old daughter Jade Holts (O'Neal) started her morning routine with a jolly spirit and her infectious smile, without any inclination of how the day would end. As I was on duty as the School Resource Officer of Sunset Park Elementary. Jade’s classmates ran to the front of the school in a panic, expressing that blood was spurring from Jade’s neck.

Jade was rushed to Kendall’s Baptist Hospital and within an hour of arrival she was admitted for uncontrollable bleeding. Upon further testing Jade’s red blood cells, white blood cells and plasma levels were extremely low which explained why her blood was not clotting and she kept bleeding.

Dr. Tavarez at Baptist Hospital expressed that Baptist was not an adequate hospital to help ensure her recovery. Within 6 hours of being admitted into Baptist Hospital Jade was transferred to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Once we were settled we began to learn that Jade’s liver was not functioning properly. A bone marrow biopsy was done to rule out cancer suspicions. During this time Jade has been receiving multiple blood transfusions.

After 2 nights the doctor at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital expressed that Jade would need to be transferred to Holtz Children’s Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial because Jade is experiencing liver failure and is need of a liver transplant.

After being transferred to Holtz Children’s Hospital Jade had a liver biopsy performed. The results shows that Jade’s liver failure had been undetected for a while. Jade has been recently intubated with a breathing machine and receiving medications to help stabilize brain swelling. She is also receiving medications to help decrease her high ammonia levels which causes her to become confused. She also has been placed on a continuous dialysis machine to clean and recycle her blood and remove toxins and extra fluid to support her liver.

As of October 3rd, 2024 Jade has been approved and active on the Liver Transplant list nationwide. While we remain hopeful for a suitable donor, the journey ahead is long and uncertain.

Jade is a vibrant, fun-loving girl who is a superior honor roll student. She runs track for the Police Athletic League (PAL) and she comes from a family with a strong legacy of service to our community. Her mother, Katrina O’Neal, serves as a School Resource Officer (SRO) for the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department. Her grandmother, Ruby Noel, retired from the City of Miami Police Department; her grandfather, Herman O’Neal, retired from Miami Dade County Corrections; her uncle, Herman Jr. O’Neal, is in the United States Navy; and her aunt, Christina O’Neal, is a retired member of the Miami Beach Police Department.

Life can change in the blink of an eye, but it’s also in these moments that we discover the strength of our community. We are humbly reaching out for financial assistance during this challenging time. The costs of Jade’s care, including the transplant and related treatments, are substantial. We have set up this GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses, and any contribution—no matter how small—will go directly toward ensuring Jade receives the life-saving care she needs.

Your support, whether through a donation or by sharing Jade’s story, would mean the world to us. Let’s rally together to show Jade how much she is loved and how her community stands by her side during this critical time.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Katrina O'Neal (Jade's Mom)