COLOMA, Mich. — A 14-month-old boy is fighting for his life after getting the flu.
To make matters worse, his 4-year-old brother now recovering in the same hospital. The family reached out to FOX 17 looking for help after being financially overwhelmed.
“Timothy went in there to go get him and he was like lifeless,” says Samantha Alexander.
Tim and Samantha Alexander woke up on the morning of January 25th to find their 14-month-old son, Maxull, having a seizure. The scary helicopter ride to the hospital only got worse.
“He had two seizures as soon as they landed. They got him under control and they got him right in there to the eighth floor and that’s where he’s been ever since,” says Samantha Alexander
His parents had no idea that the common flu would trigger violent seizures and put their son’s life in danger.
“I don’t know if that played a role in him having a seizure or not, but unfortunately he winded up having that and we’re up here,” says Tim Alexander.
Maxull has a rare genetic disease that causes benign tumors to grow in the brain and in other parts of the body. The disease has triggered seizures before, but add the flu virus and Sam and Tim say this is the worst they’ve seen.
“At that point, they didn’t know if he was going to make it or not,” says Sam.
Two of Maxull’s siblings also have the same rare condition. Just two days ago, four-year-old Timothy Junior was admitted to the same hospital, forcing the family to travel more than an hour each way from their home in Coloma to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids.
“Since January 25th, when he was admitted, I’ve traveled over three thousand miles back and forth,” Tim says.
All of this has taken a financial toll on the family and now they face an eviction.
“I’ve exhausted every cash option I can get, every help I can, and it’s just pushing it to its limits,” says Tim.
Hopefully, the worst has passed, but the family has a long road to recovery for both Maxull and his brother.
“It’s heartbreaking, but we have to stay strong for him. That’s the only thing we can do,” Tim says.
Family and friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help pay medical costs, travel expenses to the hospital and hopefully, find the Alexander’s a new home. If you’d like to help clickhere to donate.
