Barrett's Road to Healing

In the early hours of Thursday, July 24th, our family’s world changed forever.

Barrett, our bright, joyful little “Bear” was found unresponsive and blue. His parents, Tay and Nate, immediately called 911 and began CPR with unimaginable strength and urgency. Emergency responders arrived quickly and continued life-saving efforts. After several critical minutes, Barrett was intubated and life-flighted to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where a team of specialists have been working around the clock to stabilize and care for him.

The waiting has been excruciating, the emotions indescribable.

After a few long days filled with uncertainty, Barrett underwent an MRI to assess brain activity and injury. We received news that brought both heartbreak and hope. The cerebellum and brain stem—areas crucial to basic functions like movement and breathing—were not damaged. However, the MRI showed widespread damage to his cerebral cortex, which controls many higher brain functions. Right now, it’s too early to understand exactly what this means for Barrett’s future. What we do know is that he is still fighting, and we are believing for healing and restoration.

In this deep valley, we are still witnessing small but powerful victories. His spine was cleared by a specialized spinal team, and the cervical collar has been removed. Doctors are slowly adjusting the ventilator settings to see if he can begin to breathe on his own. He’s being treated with antibiotics for a lung infection. The Lasix he is receiving is helping to reduce the widespread swelling throughout his body.

We are thanking the Lord for his goodness, and in the midst of uncertainty and results, we are praying away. He’s still good and gracious in the way he’s carrying Barrett and us all, giving us small victories to hold on to. One night, his brothers called to say goodnight and began singing “Jesus Loves Me” to him over the phone. As they sang, Barrett opened his eyes. Seeing his eyes overwhelmed our hearts with joy. Though his medical team has explained that his movements may be involuntary, we are choosing to believe he heard his brothers’ voices, singing the name of Jesus over him, and responded. That moment was a miracle in itself, and we are clinging to it with gratitude and hope.

These are moments we do not take for granted. Every improvement—no matter how small—is a gift, and a reminder that God is near.

Tay and Nate are doing everything they can to stay strong—for Barrett, for each other, and for their two other young sons, who are trying to understand a world that suddenly looks very different. They are at the hospital daily, juggling hard decisions and emotional exhaustion, while trying to maintain some stability from a distance for their boys.

We’ve created this GoFundMe as a way for friends and family to help support. The funds raised will help cover all the basic needs. In addition to medical needs, there’s another layer to this story that we want to share with sensitivity and care.

While we are choosing not to share the specific details of what happened out of respect for Barrett and the family’s privacy, we can say that the initial incident was extremely traumatic. Because of the nature of what occurred and where, Tay and Nate have shared that they don’t know if they’ll ever be able to walk back into their home the same way again. The memories are deeply painful. What once was a safe place now brings flashbacks of seeing their precious son's lifeless body in their living room and bedroom.

As a family, we want to lovingly step in and help. Our hope is to give their home a fresh start—both practically and emotionally. With your support, we plan to:

    •    Repaint with calming, peaceful colors

    •    Refresh the master bedroom with a new bed and bedding

    •    Make small design changes that help their home feel safe, sacred, and new

This effort is not about luxury—it’s about healing. Our goal is to help them begin reclaiming their space, little by little, so it no longer echoes the trauma but becomes a place of comfort and restoration for their entire family.

If you feel led to give toward this part of the campaign, we are so grateful. Every contribution—whether for medical, emotional, or practical support—is a lifeline right now.

If you can’t give financially, we ask for your prayers. Please pray for Barrett’s healing, for strength and peace for Tay and Nate, and wisdom for his medical team. We are believing in the power of prayer, in the support of community, and in our God who still performs miracles.

Thank you for lifting this family.

#Bearstrong #JesuslovesBear #prayingforBarrett