Alex R.
On Wednesday, January 6, 2010, an early release day, Lisa dropped her son, Alex, off with a friend before school and headed to work. At 3pm, Lisa received a terrifying phone call that her son had been shot in the head and was on his way to Shands Jacksonville.
Still in total shock, Lisa headed to Shands. When she arrived, Lisa was sent to wait for the doctor. "It was probably five minutes, but it felt like three hours," Lisa said as she described the wait. After what seemed like an eternity, she was taken to see her sweet Alex.
As she walked around the corner, Lisa feared the worst. But then she saw that, "beautiful, little baby face." She held him tight and continually asked him to, "hold on" and told him that, "everything [was] going to be okay." The doctor came to Lisa and her family with news no parent wants to hear. The doctor informed her, "I just want you to know that I did everything I could do…he was bleeding so bad we had to hurry and just close him up." As tears began to fill the room, Lisa could not comprehend what the doctor had to say. It was not the news she wanted to hear.
The doctor gave Alex three hours to live. Lisa sat with her son and held his hand. She sang to him and prayed…anything that might make him fight harder to come back. Lisa said that she felt like, "all of the world was praying for Alex that night." Three hours turned into four hours, and four hours into eight. Before she knew it, it was 11:30 am the next day. The doctors called for a CAT scan and returned with good news. "The bleeding has stopped. I can't explain it," Dr. Arce told Lisa. Lisa responded with her own explanation, "It's a miracle of God, that's what it is."
Ever since that moment, it has been a roller coaster ride for Lisa and her family. But Alex is a fighter and is on the road to recovery. "Today is a good day," Lisa told us. "I was given three hours and I'm on day 23," Lisa cried. "And every day I thank God for another day with my handsome boy!"
Alex is continuing to improve as each day passes. "He's living, breathing, giving a thumbs up, giving peace signs." He even said "I love you, Mom." Lisa thanks the community and Shands for raising the funds to purchase the equipment that helped save Alex's life. She is especially thankful for the monitor that allowed Dr. Tepas to keep an eye on Alex from anywhere in the world.
Alex is an absolute miracle, and his remarkable recovery is a testament of your support for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.