Remembering Dawson Gray

On March 8th, 2024, Leanne and Brian welcomed Dawson Mitchell Gray at 12:45am at 7lbs 15oz. Dawson had such a vibrant, unique, and funny personality and brought so much joy with him. He was the sweetest baby, and was lovingly nicknamed Peanut, Baboush, and DawDaw.

On March 21st, 2024, doctors at the VCU Children's Hospital found that Dawson had a congenital heart defect (severe coarctation of his aorta) requiring surgery a few days later. Post-op, Dawson was recovering well until about 3am that following morning, when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest requiring a prolonged period of CPR. Due to this, Dawson suffered various injuries including extensive and severe brain damage.

Dawson fought so hard during his 37 day PICU stay. However, his overall condition remained critical and his neurological injuries irreversible. On April 27th, efforts were redirected to making him comfortable, surrounding him with love, and he passed in the arms of mom and dad.

Our hearts are completely and utterly shattered following this tragedy.

We are grateful for the many who have already reached out and supported Leanne and Brian in a variety of ways throughout the past month.

With such an extensive PICU hospitalization, the cost of care will be substantial. If you feel inclined to donate here, all monies raised will go toward covering Dawson’s medical related expenses. Additionally, you can also reach out to me personally on ways to support Leanne and Brian during this time.

Lastly, we want to thank all the doctors, nurses, and staff members at VCU Children’s Hospital who cared for Dawson. He was one in a million and we will miss him dearly until we see him again.