Autumn's Journey to Recovery

On January 9, 2022, at 7:30 pm, 12-year-old Autumn was struck by a truck crossing the highway in Belton, MO. Autumn sustained numerous life-threatening injuries. Within the first 24 hours, Autumn received countless blood and platelet transfusions, which ultimately saved her life. Once internal bleeding was located and stopped, the fantastic team at Children's Mercy was able to stabilize Autumn.

At the time, Autumn was on life support and was not responsive, and it was unclear if she was going to survive and, if she did, whether or not she would have any brain activity. Autumn's injuries included a ruptured spleen, a lacerated liver, shattered femur, numerous broken bones, numerous bowel injuries, cervical spine fracture, spinal injuries, and a significant brain injury.

Based off the imaging of her head and neurological status at the time of the accident, Autumn was diagnosed with a Moderate Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)- A type of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) resulting from shearing and/or contusional injury. In short, the whole top half of her brain from the middle to the front has been damaged in her case. More prominently, both of her frontal lobes that are responsible for an encyclopedia’s worth of functions but in short, speech, personality, organization, emotion and impulse control, voluntary movements, memory and comprehension. She has exhibited deficits in majority of these areas. She has some bleeding in her brain and subdural cerebrospinal fluid build up. Both of which have caused some increased intracranial pressure causing protrusion of both of her optic discs. Significant amount of swelling and fluid in her scalp. Fluid and inflammation is also present in almost all of her sinuses and middle ear cavities.

In regards to her spine, the natural curve of the neck is gone. There is swelling/fluid build up from literally the base of her skull to the middle of her back circumferentially. Particularly within the interspinous ligaments that keep your head from just falling forward. Multiple subtle compression fractures within her neck. Many areas of disc desiccation and hemorrhaging within the spinal canal from C1-T5.

This is just a summary of Autumn's most severe injuries. She also had a full femur replacement and still has internal bowel injuries that need time to be addressed.

Currently, Autumn's medical team believe she is on the path to recovery and potentially can go home way sooner than we ever thought, as long as she continues to progress at the rate she is currently at. Medical advice is that Autumn would need round the clock care and would be in intensive physical and occupational therapy.

Initially, the family only wanted to spread awareness for the importance of donating blood, as it is literally what saved their sweet Autumn's life. I have been working diligently with Mix 93.3, Chicken N Pickle, Community Blood Centers, and a small local KC community to set up blood drives in Autumn's name, to be announced soon and held within the next couple months. MANY people have heard Autumn's Story and are following along on her Facebook group "Autumn KC's Valentine" as well.

But it is becoming increasingly evident that Autumn's medical and psychological care will be extremely expensive and something that no family is ever prepared for. We do not know the full extent of how financially burdening this care will be quite yet. Still, with everyone wanting to donate and not having anywhere to send monetary donations, I wanted to get something started before they become too overwhelmed too soon.

Autumn is a literal walking miracle and her family, along with all of Kansas City, are amazed at her strength and perseverance through all the trauma her tiny body experienced.

Please consider donating to help Autumn on her journey to a full recovery! She is only 12 years old and has a whole life full of love, laughter, and blessings ahead of her!❤