Help My Son Grayson Get the Care He Needs

Hi, my name is Ashley, and I'm reaching out with a heavy heart and a desperate plea for help.

My 9-year-old son Grayson has been battling a serious viral infection affecting his optic nerve, which has now spread to his cornea. It’s been a terrifying and emotional time watching my little boy struggle with pain, vision problems, and endless doctor appointments.

Unfortunately, his insurance has not been covering the care he needs, and I’ve been paying out of pocket for multiple specialists. Despite doing everything I can, the bills have piled up and the balance is now close to $2,000. I’m a single mom, a full-time college student, and a waitress—juggling everything to try and build a better future for us. But right now, the restaurant business has been extremely slow, and I’m barely making enough to cover basic living expenses, let alone medical bills.

We've both missed so much school and I’ve missed countless work shifts trying to care for Grayson. I’ve exhausted every resource I have, and I'm now months behind on all of our bills. I don’t like asking for help, but at this point, I don’t know what else to do.

If you’re able to donate, any amount—no matter how small—would go directly to covering Grayson’s medical expenses and helping us stay afloat during this incredibly hard time. And if you’re not in a position to give, please consider sharing this campaign with others.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading our story and for any support you can give. It means more than you could ever know.

With love,

Ashley and Grayson

UPDATE (April 29, 2025):

We’ve had an incredibly tough week. My son was seen by two different eye specialists last week, and in just a matter of days, his vision has drastically worsened—from 20/30 on Monday to 20/60 by Wednesday. Today, at his latest appointment, his vision had declined even further to 20/100. Despite increasing his medication dosage, his eye is continuing to rapidly deteriorate.

We’ve now been referred to an additional specialist. On top of seeing his regular doctor next week, we now have to take him to a pediatric cornea specialist at Emory Hospital as his cornea is becoming dangerously thin. There is another medication option, but doctors are uncertain about its safety for children, which adds another layer of worry.

Each of these appointments costs upwards of $200, and next week alone we’re facing at least $400 in medical visits—not including the cost of gas for travel, as every specialist is over an hour away.

I’ve updated my GoFundMe page and would deeply appreciate it if you could share or donate if you're able. Every little bit helps us stay focused on getting him the care he needs without the added stress of how to afford it.

Thank you so much for your continued support.