For six-year-old Mavryck Dockins, life has never been simple — but in the past few weeks, it has become a battle that no child should ever have to endure. From Mountain Home, Arkansas, this bright, brave little boy has inspired an entire community with his resilience, his spirit, and his unwavering will to fight. And now, he is finally home again after weeks in the hospital — a moment of joy wrapped inside a storm of uncertainty.
It began with what seemed like a devastating blow: a sudden blood infection that sent Mavryck to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. There, doctors inserted a PICC line and began fighting the infection with aggressive treatment. For most families, that alone would be the battle of a lifetime. But for Mavryck, it was only one part of a much larger struggle.
Weeks earlier, he had been diagnosed with Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) — a rare, devastating, and currently inoperable neurological disease that affects the brain’s nerve fibers. ALD is the kind of diagnosis that changes a family forever. It alters futures, routines, hopes, and dreams. It forces parents to confront fears they never imagined. And it demands a strength that seems impossible… until you see a child like Mavryck, fighting every day with courage far beyond his years.
To slow the disease, Mavryck underwent a bone marrow transplant, a fragile and risky procedure, but one that offered something his family desperately needed: a chance. In a display of sibling love that feels almost heaven-sent, Mavryck’s marrow has begun responding to the cells donated by his sister,
Veralee. Her gift gave him the possibility of time — a possibility the Dockins family holds onto with all they have.
Yesterday, the family received a small but beautiful victory:
Mavryck was discharged. His PICC line was removed. He got to go home.
After weeks surrounded by hospital walls, monitors, and machines, he returned to the warmth of his home, to the familiar comfort of his bed, and to the embrace of his family who has prayed over every moment of this journey.
But the relief of coming home is shadowed by the weight of what lies ahead.
His mother, Nikki, shared a message that carries equal parts love, fear, and faith:
“Our biggest prayer right now is for December 12th. That’s the day of Mav’s MRI — the one that will show if this transplant is slowing down the disease or not. How much time we have. This is such a big day for us.”
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This MRI is more than a medical appointment.
It is the moment that may define the next chapter of Mavryck’s life.
Every day, Nikki and her husband watch their son struggle. ALD has already stolen so much — his ability to walk, to talk, even to eat. They live with the heartbreaking understanding that what they see today might be their
new normal. And yet, they cling to faith with every breath.
“This MRI will answer so many of the questions that have been weighing on us,” Nikki says. “Please, please pray over our boy, over his healing, and over this day.”
She speaks not as a mother broken by fear, but as a mother fueled by love — love powerful enough to confront the unthinkable.
“Thank you truly for every prayer, every message, every donation, and every bit of love you’ve poured into our family. We are so thankful for this army standing with us. He is so strong and so brave, and we cannot be more proud of the fight he has in him.”
Those who know Mavryck describe him as sunshine in human form — a child who radiates joy, kindness, and courage even while facing a disease that many adults struggle to comprehend. His bravery is quiet but mighty, reflected in every hard day he endures and every small victory he earns.
Now, the Dockins family prepares for the next ten days — ten days filled with waiting, praying, and holding onto hope as tightly as possible. They’ve brought their boy home, but their hearts remain on edge.
December 12th is coming. And they cannot face it alone.
This is a moment for compassion.
A moment for community.
A moment for prayer.
If you are reading this, the Dockins family asks for only one thing:
Pray for Mavryck.
Pray for healing.
Pray for time.
Pray for strength.
Pray for a miracle.
Let them know you care.
Let them know they are not walking this path by themselves.
Let them feel the echo of every heart standing with theirs.
Because in stories like this — stories of love, fear, resilience, and hope — it is community that holds families together. And right now, six-year-old Mavryck needs all of us.
