Silas' Team

Hey guys, I've never been one to ask for help. But I'm at a loss here.

My baby sister had 5 kids. One of which is a very very special needs baby boy, our hero, Silas.

Let me tell you a bit about Silas' story.

Si was born with a heart condition that required he have a new heart at just the age of 2.

His Dr's at Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital put him on a transplant list, and we spent the next few months praying for a new heart as silas lay in a medically induced coma, but patients can only be on a transplant list for a limited amount of time, and silas' time was up. We were faced with the harsh reality that we were going to have to lose our baby boy.

We called in all of the family to say their last goodbyes, as well as a group of prayer warriors that came in from out of town.

We all stood in Vanderbilt's waiting room in prayer, and that's when the miracle happened.

One of Silas' nurses ran into the room, and pulled my sister aside.

As hard as it is to believe, a heart was on the way from Riley, NC.

God heard us, and he answered our prayers.

Our baby boy had a chance to live now.

Silas' surgery was a success. His heart took well to his body, but the Dr's told us that the average life span of a heart transplant recipient was only 12-14 years, at which point he would need a new heart; but a miracle happened once before, and we were confident that with God on our side, when it was time, we would receive a new miracle, and Silas would get a new heart.

Silas just turned 14 this January and we have cherished every second of it.

A few years after his heart transplant, Silas contracted a virus that nearly shut down his respitory system. He was once again admitted to Vanderbuilt Childrens Hospital with chronic respitory failure. Our baby's lungs were giving out on him, and there was nothing we could do aside from make him comfortable.

Because of his chronic respitory failure, the Dr's told us that he could never be put on a transplant list again. We were now faced with the same harsh reality that our babies time was severely limited, and when his heart gave up, we would lose him, with no chance of getting a new heart.

Vanderbuilt allowed silas' to go home, and enjoy the rest of his life with his family, and his 4 other brothers and sisters.

Because of his special needs with his low immune system, his trache, and his feeding tube, many people were scared, but his mother (my baby sister) took care of his every need!

Silas is on oxygen, he often needs his trache suctioned to clear his airways, he has to be fed through a mik-key button (feeding tube) in his belly, and although it has been a challenge, it has been our lifes greatest joy to care for him as he grows, and experiences life.

His momma (my baby sister) was not only his mother, she was also his Dr., his caretaker, his teacher, and his best friend. I've never met any two people so close before.

She was his everything, and he was her Superman.

Unfortunately, due to uncontrollable circumstances, Silas was temporarily admitted to a long term care facility (Rockcastle Respitory Care) in northern Kentucky (4 hours from his family), but there was absolutely no way we were going to let him go through this struggle alone. Especially considering his time with us could be so close to the end.

Visitation hours at Rockcastle Respitory Care is from 8am-6pm, and unfortunately they don't allow visitors or family to stay all night.

My sister, being the mother she was, would drive for 4 hours (from Nashville, Tn), and spend 3 days with him, at which point she would drive back home to Nashville to spend 2 days with the other babies (his brothers and sisters).

Juggling this lifestyle definitely wasnt easy, but she was a mother, and there was no other option. She would take care of her babies, even if it killed her.

Unfortunately, it did.

Money was short, and she couldn't afford a motel room, so she slept in her jeep during the 3 day stays.

She talked to Silas most of the night to keep him calm. He last spoke to her at 5am, at which point she assured him that she would be there at 8am to spend the next few days with him. She told him she was in the parking lot, waiting for the doors to open. But that visit never came, and he never got to see his momma again.

At 7am that cold morning, she was found deceased in her jeep, in the back parking lot of Rockcastle Respitory Care. She had woken up, and started the jeep to keep warm, then fell asleep, and an exhaust leak lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

She got warm, fell asleep, and never woke up.

The coroner's report read the carbon monoxide in her blood was at 48%, when anything over 30% was considered lethal.

I cant explain how much losing her has affected us all, especially Silas, who is still in Rockcastle Respitory Care, until he can be adopted.

He watches her movie, looks at his pictures, and cries missing her every day.

I could never be the mother she was, i know that, but I'll do everything I can to make sure hes taken care of, and can spend the rest of his life with his family. I'm currently working with DCS to adopt him, and I stay at his bedside 7 days a week. I cant leave him.

His brothers and sisters are at home with their stepfather, they're taken care of, and it's my job now to get silas home, and make sure hes taken care of.

I temporarily left my job, and my home to be here with him until I can get him back home to the family.

I'm staying in a motel room just across the street from his hospital.

We have a home in Tn, but we severely need dependable transportation and help keeping a motel room here near his hospital.

If you could find it in your hearts to help us, anything helps, even a dollar, or just a prayer.

I promise you, I will get him home, and he will spend the rest of his life comfortable.

Again, I could never be his mom, but I can be his caretaker, his teacher, and his guardian.

I'll never give up on him, even if it kills me.

I'll always be there Sisi, we all love you baby boy. Keep being our Superman, and I promise this will all be over soon.

If you've made it this far, thank you for hearing Silas' story, and please say a prayer for him, his mother, and his brothers & sisters..

I love you all.

-Uncle JJ

EDIT

Update:

Today is August, 2025. Silas has been home for 2 years. We did it. Thank you all so so so much! He is home, he is happy, he still plays his video games. He goes to high school, he plays soccer, he rides dirt bikes, he reminds us every day that miracles do happen.

It took us a year to get out of Rockcastle. It felt like it wasnt going to happen, but silas always kept pushing.

Thank you all so much for the life you helped give him!