My son Brayden is a 19-year-old living with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare bone disorder that makes his bones extremely fragile. During his 19 years of life he has had more fractures and breaks then anyone should ever have in a lifetime. Just a few examples of previous injuries are he was in a hip sicca body cast at not quite 2 years old 3 different times, pins put in his elbow from snapping his elbow in half, pins in his pinky from an injury and casted multiple times in the last 19year. Now he is facing his worst and scariest injury he has ever indured. In November 2024, Brayden suffered a T12 burst spinal fracture with 70% compression. He was placed in a TLSO brace for several months and began receiving Reclast IV infusions every six months to help strengthen his bones, since his bone density was not safe enough for spinal fusion surgery at that time. We were hopeful that with time and treatment, his spine would heal and surgery could be avoided.

Brayden almost made it to the one-year mark of his injury, but just days before, he re-injured his T12 vertebra. Now, his spine is more than 90% compressed with moderate spinal stenosis, and he has been placed back in a TLSO brace. His OI clinic doctors at Kennedy Krieger and his neurosurgeons at John Hopkins have determined that we can no longer wait. Due to slight neurological changes and the increasing risk of paralysis, they feel we must move forward with spinal fusion surgery within the next few weeks. Even with surgery, there is still a risk of paralysis if his spine were to shatter during the procedure, but without it, the risk is even greater.

The costs associated with Brayden’s surgery and recovery are overwhelming. We are facing significant medical bills, and he will need specialized medical equipment after surgery to help him heal and regain his strength. In addition, we will be traveling back and forth to John Hopkins for his treatment and follow-up appointments, which adds to the financial strain. Every dollar raised will go directly toward these expenses, helping to ensure Brayden gets the best care possible.

Thank you so much for all your love and support while Brayden is going through this very challenging time in his life. The next year is going to be extremely tough on him, and your help will give him one less thing to stress over so he can concentrate on healing to his fullest. We are deeply grateful for any support you can offer, whether it’s a donation or simply sharing Brayden’s story with others.