The Eakes family has endured more in the last few years than any family ever should — and yet they continue to show strength, kindness, and grace through it all. Today, they need the support of their village.

Over the past few years, three out of the four family members have faced serious health challenges, two of which are extremely rare. What began as isolated medical events quickly became a series of overwhelming hardships, leading up to quite literally life or death.

On September 29, 2024, their son Jaxon broke a tooth — Expecting a routine repair, doctors instead discovered a large tumor on his jaw which lead to a diagnosis of a rare, aggressive condition know as Ameloblastoma. Jaxon underwent a very long, painful surgery, followed by countless doctor visits, ongoing testing, and will require years of follow up procedures and testing. He missed 3 months of school and Michelle took off of work to be his caregiver.

On January 3 2025, Lloyd surprised Michelle with a much-needed break to New York City, a night off and a reprieve from caregiving. Lloyd suddenly went into anaphylactic shock. On scene, EMS workers were able to stabilze him and he was rushed to the hospital. They spent months of testing to determine the cause.

Just one month later, in February, their son, Conner, became ill with double pneumonia and battling severe migraines. From 4 weeks old Conner experienced a multitude of health complexities, including seizures and respiratory distress into early childhood which made this setback especially frightening. Again, enduring a battery of neurological testing.

As the family began to see a light at the end of the tunnel, more challenges followed. In July, their brand new car was hit by a deer. The next week, Lloyd broke his foot while trying to help the kids fishing, — and a week later, heartbreakingly, the family also lost their beloved dog, Jack.

On September 29, 2025, a year to the date that Jaxon's initial incident occurred, the exact same tooth broke again. This led to yet another emergency trip and a myriad of insurance denials and out of pocket expenses.

Then came what they never could have imagined.

Just when it felt like they could not possibly handle more, tragedy struck again.

On December 9, Lloyd went into cardiac arrest at home. Michelle performed CPR and saved his life. After extensive testing, doctors described Lloyd as “picture perfect” in terms of health — with no clear explanation for what had happened. He later received a defibrillator, which saved his life again on December 28 when he went into cardiac arrest for a second time. He was hospitalized and they have quickly learned that this will be a lifelong battle as the source is believed to be genetic, including the health of their children.

With both parents out of work for extended periods and medical expenses continuing to grow, the emotional and financial strain has become overwhelming.

If you know the Eakes family, you know asking for help is not something they would ever do. They are the first to show up for others, the first to lend a hand, and the last to ask for anything in return. That is why we are asking for them.

This family has given so much to so many. Now it’s time to show them that their village is here — ready to lift them up, ease their burden, and help make this dark season a little brighter.

Any donation, share, or message of support will mean more than words can express. If we can relieve even a small amount of stress for this family, it would mean the world.

Thank you for supporting the Eakes family