On the night of January 20, 2026, our family’s life changed in an instant.

What began as a normal Tuesday evening quickly turned into a medical emergency. In the early morning hours, my husband, Ross, looked at me and said, “I think I need to go to the hospital.” His heart was racing and he was struggling to breathe. We went straight to the ER, expecting answers — but not the battle that would follow.

Within hours, Ross was admitted to the ICU. Doctors discovered a severe bacterial infection in his bloodstream (sepsis), causing widespread inflammation and putting his organs under extreme stress. He was started immediately on IV fluids, blood pressure medication, anxiety medication, and powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics. Despite aggressive treatment, his condition worsened.

By Friday, fluid retention and organ inflammation made it impossible for his lungs to function properly. Ross was intubated and placed on a ventilator, then transferred by ambulance to a higher-level ICU. Shortly after, his kidneys began to fail, requiring continuous dialysis. His liver function declined, ammonia levels rose, and his body struggled to wake even without sedation.

Over the following days, Ross remained critically ill — battling sepsis, organ failure, and complications that required round-the-clock ICU care. He was eventually transferred to University Health in San Antonio, a hospital that specializes in treating cases as severe as his. There, his medical team confirmed he was still septic and that multiple organs were failing. Their primary focus has been eradicating the infection and stabilizing his body enough to begin healing.

Slowly — and by the grace of God — we began to see small signs of hope. Swelling reduced. His breathing trials improved. He started squeezing my hand, nodding yes and no, and following commands. Each of those moments felt like a miracle.

Ross remains on dialysis and ventilator support, and his doctors are now evaluating him for a possible liver transplant. He is not out of the woods, but we are finally moving in the right direction. His case will be reviewed by the transplant team, and we are praying for wisdom, healing, and continued progress.

During this time, our family has faced overwhelming expenses — extended ICU stays, specialized treatments, dialysis, possible transplant care, travel between cities, temporary housing near the hospital, and time away from work for both of us while supporting Ross around the clock.

If you feel led to help, your donation will go directly toward:

*Medical expenses not covered by insurance

*Dialysis, plasmapheresis, paracentesis, and transplant-related costs (Transplant deductibles and costs are completely separate from the regular "maximum out of pocket" costs defined by insurance)

*Temporary housing near the hospital in San Antonio for Dawn (Jan 26 - Feb 27)

*Daily living expenses while our family is focused on Ross’s recovery (and is not able to work)

If you’re unable to give, we ask just as urgently for your prayers. We believe in the power of prayer and are trusting the Lord, our ultimate Healer, to carry Ross through this storm.

Thank you for reading, for sharing, for praying, and for standing with our family during the hardest season of our lives.

Feel free to continue to follow us on this journey at Caring Bridge - Ross

With gratitude and hope,

Dawn, Breckin, Bailon, & Brittyn