Levi's life could be forever improved with just a single IV infusion of stem cells. Think about it. Think about a second chance for a child who never really got a first one.

For those of you who know my family personally, you know the tremendous challenges our son Levi has faced in his tiny little life so far. From the second he was born, he has been fighting. Whether that has been for each breath he has taken, or each step he's managed to make despite doctors' predictions otherwise, Levi has fought like hell to be here. We knew he wouldn't be in-line with other kiddos his age, at least, not for a while. We knew it would take him years to "catch up", so to speak. But there came a time when we realized something was wrong, and it wasn't just a "preemie-thing" anymore.

For those who don't know our story, to make a VERY long one short, Levi was born 3 and a half months early, at just 25 weeks gestation. He weighed just 1 lb 4 oz and he had less than 65% chance of survival. His lungs were severely damaged and he spent 4 months in the NICU fighting life-threatening infections, collapsed lungs, and aspiration events. Finally, when he came home, the first night there, his oxygen machine malfunctioned and he stopped breathing altogether. I had to give him CPR until we could get his tank hooked up and EMTs arrived. He then spent the next six months in and out of the hospital with recurrent bouts of pneumonia and a rare immune disorder that made him have to live life almost in a bubble. He was always so sick. And when he finally stopped being sick constantly, we had another challenge that we had to face...

Levi was diagnosed with autism in 2023. He is almost completely non-verbal. He spends most of his day stimming, playing with bouncy balls, loving on his family, and running around the house. And while he is one of the happiest, most loving children I have ever met in my life, there are dark times that come with a diagnosis such as his. My miracle child has punched his own face bloody multiple times because he is frustrated with not being able to communicate. He watches other kids play, and it's like he wants to join but doesn't know how. He's been made fun of, shunned, fallen through the cracks of the system far too many times. I know he gets sad and confused. I know he is missing out on so much, and I wonder if he does too. So much that he fought SO hard for. When he came out on the other side of the scariest year of his life, and we knew that he'd survived and would be "okay", when we finally were able to start planning his future, people used to tell us, "he is here for a reason". And I know that they are right. Levi deserves a win. We believe this could be a chance at giving him one.

We have found a clinic in Florida who specializes in stem cell therapy and they are using it to treat children with autism for issues with things like intellectual engagement, emotional responsiveness, and even nonverbal communication. The last one is a big one, because even if we never hear our son talk, communication in ANY capacity is so important and right now we barely have any way to know if our baby is in pain, what he's thinking about, what he wants for Christmas. You get it. With testimonials from patients who say that this clinic has changed their families' lives and research to back the treatment's safety, we decided that we'd at least see if Levi could be a candidate. And turns out, he is!

So, any help from anyone willing to give even just $1 would mean the world to us, as there is nothing more important to us than ensuring that our babies have the absolute best. And when you have a kiddo like Levi, your fears about what happens to them when you are gone... they become crippling. If you can't give anything, please share. It helps more than you know. Thank you to everyone who loves and supports our sweet boy and our family.