Dear family and friends:

On October 2nd, our lives were turned upside down when CJ was rushed to the ICU with a severe bacterial infection that was rapidly destroying the tissue in his neck. He was placed on a nasal intubation just to help him breathe while the medical team fought to stabilize him at the beginning of a long series of surgeries.

After one of his surgeries in the early hours of October 9th, CJ had a severe reaction to a new medication. He became disoriented and terrified, and in his confusion, he pulled out his nasal intubation. What followed was every family’s worst nightmare. In the critical minutes that it took to re-intubate him, several medical professionals could not figure out a clear course of action before finally choosing a trach in his throat. CJ went without sufficient oxygen to his brain for about 15–20 minutes.

That short window of time changed everything. CJ suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and is now in a state where doctors are uncertain if he will ever wake up again and most certainly would not walk or talk again.

Our family is beyond devastated. We are trying to hold ourselves together as we navigate the shock, grief, and endless questions while facing an overwhelming wave of medical and legal expenses.

We’re asking for help to cover:

• Ongoing medical costs and long-term care for CJ

• Support for our family during this crisis

• Legal and expert fees to ensure accountability and answers

Anything you can give, whether it’s a donation, a share, or a few kind words, means more than we can ever express. CJ is loved deeply by so many, and we are holding onto every bit of hope we can.

Thank you for standing with us through what is clearly the hardest moment of our lives.