Prayers and Support Needed for Alex: A Brave Little Boy Fighting for His Life. Hyn
I am reaching out today with a desperate plea to support my beloved 6-year-old nephew and Godson, Alex Hook. On September 10, 2021, while enjoying recess with his first-grade classmates, Alex experienced a life-altering accident that has forever changed the lives of his family.
During that recess, a landscaper working nearby made a critical error in judgment. While mowing the grass on the median just across from where the children were playing, the landscaper ran over a piece of rebar. The rebar flew with devastating force, striking the back of Alex’s head. He was immediately airlifted to Children’s Hospital of Milwaukee, where doctors determined that emergency brain surgery was required. Alex sustained a fractured skull, internal brain bleeding, and a portion of his skull bone had to be removed to prevent further damage.
Since that day, Alex has been in a medically induced coma, giving his doctors the best chance to manage swelling, bleeding, and trauma to his brain. The severity of his injuries means that his recovery will likely be long and challenging. Once he is stabilized and brought out of the coma, the neurosurgical team will assess the extent of his brain damage. While prayers and hope surround him, it is expected that Alex may require extensive rehabilitation, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, potentially lasting weeks, months, or even years.
The emotional toll on Alex’s family has been profound. His parents, Kirbey and Caryn, are devoted and loving. Kirbey, a Navy veteran, is gainfully employed, but his insurance coverage is insufficient to meet the extraordinary medical costs associated with this tragic accident. Caryn, who works on a contract basis, receives income only when she works, which is currently impossible while she dedicates her time to Alex’s care and supports their 10-year-old son, Nathan, who has special needs. The financial burden has quickly become overwhelming.
Beyond medical expenses, the family is facing additional challenges: the costs of ongoing rehabilitation, travel to multiple medical appointments, hospital stays, therapy sessions, specialized equipment, and day-to-day living expenses while caring for Alex and Nathan. The family has poured every ounce of energy into providing Alex with comfort, care, and love during his critical condition, but the financial strain is enormous.
This GoFundMe is an opportunity for friends, family, and the broader community to support Alex and his family during this extraordinarily difficult time. Every contribution — no matter how small — will help cover medical bills, therapy costs, specialized equipment, transportation, and the everyday expenses that continue to accumulate. Your support will also provide Caryn and Kirbey with the ability to focus entirely on Alex’s recovery and Nathan’s care without the constant stress of financial uncertainty.
Alex’s story is one of courage, hope, and resilience. Despite his young age, he is already a fighter. Every day he fights to survive and heal, surrounded by the unwavering love and dedication of his family. Their commitment to his care is inspiring, and with the support of a compassionate community, they can provide Alex with the best possible chance for recovery and a quality life.
We humbly ask for your prayers, encouragement, and financial support. Every donation is more than a monetary contribution; it is a symbol of hope, solidarity, and love for a family navigating an unimaginable tragedy. It is a reminder to Alex that he is not alone and that countless hearts are standing with him as he begins the long journey toward recovery.
Please keep Alex, his parents Kirbey and Caryn, and his brother Nathan in your thoughts and prayers. Your generosity will make a tangible difference in their lives, helping them meet medical needs, support daily living, and focus on what matters most: giving Alex the care, therapy, and love he needs to heal and thrive.
Thank you for taking the time to read Alex’s story. May God bless everyone who donates, prays, and offers encouragement during this critical time. Together, we can give Alex the support and hope he deserves as he fights bravely for his life and begins the road to recovery.
Jenson’s Journey: A Story of Strength, Love, and Gratitude.2800
As I sit here, sharing Jenson’s birth story, he’s happily bulldozing around the lounge, a rambunctious, charmingly cheeky, food-loving one-year-old. It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come, and looking back, it’s impossible not to feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the strength, love, and support that carried us through one of the most challenging journeys of our lives.
Jenson’s story began long before his birth, as my husband, Nic, and I decided to pursue IVF due to his Huntington’s disease. We were overjoyed when we found out we were expecting, though the journey to parenthood had its challenges. At my 23-week check-up, my midwife noticed that my blood pressure was high enough to be concerning. I was immediately referred to Hutt Hospital, where I spent three nights for monitoring and trial medication. The team at the hospital was vigilant, knowing that both high blood pressure and preeclampsia ran in my family. From then on, my appointments became a balancing act—regular hospital visits, medication, and weekly check-ups to monitor my condition, which continued to worsen.
For weeks, my blood pressure remained dangerously high, often exceeding 185/95. Despite this, I felt fine and had none of the usual preeclampsia symptoms, aside from occasional flashing lights in my vision. The doctors prepared me for the possibility of a premature birth, hoping to get Jenson past 28 weeks. At 30 weeks, during a routine scan, we received troubling news—Jenson’s stomach had stopped growing, and my blood pressure was higher than ever. The decision was made to admit me to the hospital, and the first round of steroid injections was administered to help Jenson’s lungs develop.
By Friday, I woke up feeling that something wasn’t right. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, but I felt more unwell than before. On Saturday morning, the doctors still thought I could make it to 34 weeks, but by 11:30 AM, my condition deteriorated rapidly. I experienced severe pain on my right side, and the medication to lower my blood pressure stopped working. The doctors suspected I was starting to have seizures. It was then that I was told I would be transferred to Wellington Hospital for an emergency C-section.
Upon arrival in Wellington, the situation escalated quickly. The doctors informed us that we would likely meet our baby within 24-48 hours, but the decision was made to deliver him sooner, as my condition was worsening. The staff in the theatre were incredibly reassuring, putting both Nic and me at ease, and at 7:40 PM, Jenson was born. He weighed 1.514kg, which was 500g more than the doctors had predicted. The relief of hearing him cry as he was placed on the table was overwhelming. He was doing better than expected, and he didn’t need to be intubated.
I was unable to see Jenson immediately, as I was rushed to ICU due to my high blood pressure. It wasn’t until two hours later that I was able to visit him in NICU, still in my bed, feeling surreal as I was wheeled through the unit. Jenson looked tiny, with long, gangly arms and legs, and the reality of what he was going through set in. He was on CPAP for breathing, given caffeine to stimulate his breathing, and was dealing with jaundice and high blood sugar levels.
On Day 2, I finally held him for the first time. It was a mixture of bliss and fear, as I was acutely aware of how fragile he was with all the tubes and wires attached to him. The nurses reassured me, encouraging me to enjoy the moment and not to worry. Jenson never needed antibiotics in his first weeks, and the doctors’ main concern was his nutrition. My milk came in slowly, and we were grateful for the donor milk that helped give Jenson the best possible nutritional start.
However, our NICU journey wasn’t without setbacks. At three weeks, Nic and I both contracted Covid, and Jenson had to be put in isolation. While we couldn’t visit him in person, the nurses took incredible care of him, and we stayed connected through daily video calls, though it was heartbreaking to see him without being able to hold him. Thankfully, Jenson never contracted Covid, and after two weeks, he was strong enough to move to the Lower Hutt Hospital SCBU, which was only a five-minute drive from home.
Moving to SCBU brought some relief. The unit was smaller and more intimate, and we were able to get to know the staff better. It also allowed Jenson’s grandparents to visit him more frequently. Unfortunately, Jenson contracted RSV soon after moving to SCBU, and his respiratory status worsened. He was placed back in his incubator, and all physical contact was stopped for a week to prevent the spread of infection. When he was well enough, he was moved to the only isolation room, and we were finally able to hold him again.
As Christmas approached, we braced ourselves for another holiday spent in the hospital. However, on December 23rd, we received the most wonderful news: Jenson was finally strong enough to be discharged. After spending 109 days in the hospital, Jenson was coming home. That Christmas, bringing him home was the greatest gift we could have ever received.
Jenson left the hospital two weeks and two days before his due date, weighing 2.998kg. Since then, he has thrived, and as he celebrated his first birthday this month, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far he’s come. Driving past the hospital on his birthday felt surreal and emotional, a reminder of the journey that brought us to where we are today.
Having a premature baby changes you in ways you can’t fully explain. You have to leave your baby with strangers every night, trusting that the medical staff will care for your child as you would. The care that the staff at Wellington NICU and Hutt SCBU provided was nothing short of extraordinary. They not only saved Jenson’s life, but they also supported us as parents, ensuring that we were coping through this overwhelming experience.
We are forever grateful to everyone who cared for our Jenson during his most critical days, and we feel incredibly lucky to have him here with us, healthy, happy, and full of life. He truly is our little miracle.
