Our Story: The 13-Minute Miracle
Our son, Mohamed, is a miracle. Born 27 years ago and diagnosed with Down Syndrome, Mohamed has spent his life defying the odds. Up until two years ago, he was full of life—walking, talking, and proudly doing things for himself.
In January of 2024, everything changed. What started as a simple cough led us to urgent care. Two days later, Mohamed told us he felt sick and wanted to go to the doctor. We rushed him to the ER, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. While in the ER, the unthinkable happened: Mohamed’s heart stopped.
For 13 excruciating minutes, he was gone. The doctors and nurses fought to bring him back, and they succeeded—but the lack of oxygen during those minutes changed his life and ours forever.
Where We Are Now
Today, Mohamed is bedridden and requires total care for all his daily needs. He currently relies on a tracheostomy to breathe and a feeding tube for all of his nutrition. To keep his body ready for the recovery we know is possible, we perform passive range of motion exercises with him daily to prevent his muscles from shortening and his joints from locking.
We refuse to believe his story ends here. We know the vibrant, independent Mohamed is still in there, and we have found a path to help him return.
The Plan: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
We are pursuing an intensive, 12-week protocol of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. By placing Mohamed in a pressurized chamber, we can deliver high-dose oxygen to his system.
Our goal is neuroplasticity: using oxygen to "wake up" the healthy, undamaged areas of his brain and training them to take over the functions lost during those 13 minutes. This is a rigorous "brain boot camp" consisting of:
12 Weeks out of town.
60 Total Sessions (2 hours a day, 5 days a week).
Where Your Donations Go
The goal of $53,500 is the bridge to Mohamed’s recovery. Because HBOT for brain injury is not covered by insurance, we must self-fund this journey:
Medical HBOT Fees: 60 specialized high-pressure sessions aimed at brain recovery.
Wheelchair Accessible Lodging: 12 weeks of safe, accessible housing near the clinic to accommodate Mohamed's needs.
Mohamed fought for 13 minutes to stay with us. Now, we are fighting to give him his life back. Every donation, prayer, and share brings us one step closer to seeing Mohamed walk and talk again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why isn't this covered by insurance? A: While HBOT is FDA-approved for certain conditions, it is currently considered "off-label" for hypoxic brain injuries. Because of this, insurance companies rarely cover the cost, leaving families to pay out-of-pocket for these life-changing sessions.
Q: Why do you have to travel? A: Mohamed requires a medical-grade "hard-shell" chamber to reach the atmospheric pressure necessary for neuro-recovery. These facilities are specialized, and we must relocate for the full 12 weeks to ensure he doesn't miss a single day of his 60-session protocol.
Q: What is the expected outcome? A: Our hope is that by flooding the brain with oxygen, we can reduce inflammation and stimulate the healthy parts of the brain to "rewire." We are looking for improvements in his motor skills, his ability to communicate, and his overall level of consciousness.