Daxton's Defenders

I have an incredible nephew. Let me tell you about him and why he needs our help.

My brother, Jason, and sister-in-love, Amanda live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. Together, they have six beautiful children. For six years, they provided a safe and loving home for seven precious little ones through foster care. Their journey of fostering ended in two beautiful adoptions...my niece, Emersyn, and my nephew, Daxton.

They received a call to pick up Daxton from the NICU when he was four days old. He had tested positive for cocaine, marijuana, and his biological mother admitted using alcohol during pregnancy. Jason and Amanda began seeing signs of something more than just a typical little boy early on, and all the dots started connecting last year.

Daxton was diagnosed with ADHD, but his doctor suspected there was more going on in his little body so Daxton underwent further evaluation. After surgery in April of 2022, something was triggered in Daxton's brain and things began to spiral out of control. He began having episodes of anger and rage that resulted in physical violence towards the members of his family in their home.

Daxton is only six years old.

Whiplash, concussions, and holes in the walls are just the physical harm caused by these outbursts. The emotional and mental trauma has affected every member of the family as well. They all banned together, determined to be the strongest force of love and strength for their boy. Unconditional love from our Heavenly Father was all they had to hang on to, as these were some of the darkest days of their lives.

Daxton recently completed a six-week outpatient treatment and they received some answers. Daxton's diagnoses include ADHD, Autism, Disruptive Mood Regulation Disorder (DMDD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Though the news of all that Daxton is fighting was daunting to hear, it was a relief to finally have answers.

Now, Daxton's family has pursued the next level of care, determined to get the help Daxton needs and deserves. He has been attending weekly therapy for an hour each week with a God-sent therapist. She works with him to help as much as she can until a full-time spot becomes available at an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) center in Fort Worth, Texas. The waitlist is very long and they were told it could take up to nine months for Daxton to begin this critical level of therapy.

Well, on November 18, 2022, our prayers were answered with a phone call that Daxton has been accepted and will be able to start by the first of the year! With that incredible news comes the financial hiccup of dealing with insurance and deductibles. Because Daxton was in foster care, he should be covered by Medicaid but this type of facility does not accept it. Amanda and Jason will have to pay $8000 per year to meet Daxton's deductible. On top of that, Amanda will be driving Daxton to therapy five days a week, one hour in each direction. That means she will be driving four hours per day and using a LOT of gas. We all know gas is expensive.

Jason works full time as an insurance adjuster. Amanda is an at-home, homeschooling mom. This amount of money is crippling, but they are willing to do anything, sell anything, anything to help their son. Daxton is an amazing, intelligent, loving little boy who is suffering. They realize Daxton is a special boy and that God has BIG plans for his life!

Here's the thing. I am also an adoptive mom. I have heard countless people tell me they don't feel called to foster or adopt, but they are willing to help those who do.

Here is your opportunity.

I believe God's economy is bottomless. He has given Jason and Amanda a network of family and friends who love them and have been faithfully praying for Daxton for years. We are his tribe, and it is time for us to step up and be a tangible part of his story! Christmas is just around the corner, and many give to charities at this time of year. I pray you will consider becoming one of Daxton's Defenders. My nephew has a bright future ahead of him, and you can be part of it. Every donation will help them stay afloat financially as Daxton undergoes up to 40 hours of therapy per week. The financial burden being lifted will be a huge relief to their family.

Please give whatever you can and pray fervently for our sweet boy. We love him so much and just want to see him whole and thriving so he can be all that God created him to be.

THANK YOU for giving and for praying. You are helping change a life.