Discover some of the brightest, strongest, and most inspiring young heroes we have the honor of supporting! This section is the heart and soul of Holton’s Heroes, showcasing the incredible children and families who are the reason behind our mission.
We warmly welcome you to read about the courageous kids whose lives have been touched by your generosity over the years. Click on their stories below to learn more, share your thoughts, and celebrate their resilience and joy with us!
If you'd like to donate to help further our mission, you may do so here.
Holton’s Heroes Hall of Heroes
After a devastating car accident left Johnny with a traumatic brain injury, he faced the colossal challenge of rebuilding his life from the ground up. Supported by the unwavering dedication of his family and an array of medical professionals, Johnny emerged from a coma to relearn the simplest of tasks, transforming each small victory into a stepping stone toward recovery.
Nazir's story is one of tragedy and perseverance, set against the backdrop of a close-knit family struck by an unexpected calamity.
Dylan's story is not merely a tale of medical hurdles; it's a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the incredible impact of innovative medical technology. Through every step of his journey, Dylan and his family have shown that even in the face of adversity, hope can lead to miraculous outcomes.
“Lauren was a healthy baby and child who was always super funny and happy,” Julie Ralston, Lauren’s mother, wrote to us. “At age 11 she began experiencing episodes of vomiting and vision blackouts.”
Lauren's world turned upside down when she suddenly began falling ill frequently. After multiple visits to the doctor and changing pediatricians, an MRI revealed a brain tumor.
“Thank you so much for helping my family,” Nicole wrote to us. “Thank you for helping my son and giving him the chance to eat with his brother at the table and to play games with him on the floor. I never would have imagined Robert would ever be able to do this again!”
“Previously, he would only get a 10-minute ride once a week at this therapy center. Ben’s physical therapist recommended this bike for him and insurance denied it, deeming it not medically necessary,” Katherine wrote to us after she received the new bike. “Now that he has his own bike, thanks to you, he can spend so much more time on it, and be able to use it outside.”
Grateful for the incredible backing of our supporters, Holton’s Heroes was able to fully cover the cost of the $3,000 chair so that Denise can continue to learn, grow and play where she spends the most time: her home.
In just a matter of moments, Keshav managed to slip out of his father's view and ended up submerged in the water of a communal hot tub. The hot tub, which was meant to be secured with a locked gate, had been left slightly open. Although Keshav was underwater for a mere two minutes, the consequences were profound, leaving lasting harm on his developing brain.
In the aftermath of a harrowing motorbike accident, the unwavering support and compassion of our supports allowed Holton's Heroes to gift 15-year-old Brevyn something his parents have been wishing for over the past three years: Independence. Read his amazing recovery journey and how your donations helped bring him back outdoors again.
“I felt helpless,” Allison recalled. “The doctors came in to La’Kai’s room to tell me he had a skull fracture on the left side of his head. I had no words.”
It was a moment that changed their lives, pushing Abram and his amazing family into a new reality filled with uncertainty and challenges they never could have anticipated. Thankfully, because of our amazing supporters, Holton’s Heroes was able to purchase a very important device to help Abram and his family move forward.
Thanks to the generosity of a complete stranger, Holton’s Heroes was able to purchase Victoria, a 4-year-old brain injury survivor, multiple expensive therapy devices. The stranger? Well, that’s the fun part. It’s another amazing kid that lives over three hours away from her. Read their incredible story.
“Chanel underwent surgery to remove the mass and, thankfully, the mass was benign,” Chanel’s father told us. “Two days after her surgery, the hospital inserted a tube to drain the fluid from her brain into her stomach, however, while she was recovering at the hospital she got an infection and suffered sepsis. We almost lost her.”
“I am just so appreciative of what you all have done for our family. Words just can't express how thankful we are for what you've done for our son.” Kera Stebbins wrote to us after her son William received a brand new portable oxygen concentrator from Holton’s Heroes which will allow him to travel farther distances and receive more appropriate therapy.
“The stroller makes it possible for us to go places without having to carry him everywhere,” Vallery told us. “It gives him the extra support he needs and will last for years to come!”
After drowning in a nearby pond, Elijah went a reported 75 minutes without a heartbeat before nurses brought him back to life. Incredibly, Elijah survived and is recovering at home in Alabama with his family. Read how your donations helped get this little boy back on his own two feet.
Brynne has been fighting to be a normal kid ever since that first seizure when she was nine years old. Her hope is join her family outside riding bikes, but due to in poor gross motor skills from impairment she can’t ride a standard two-wheel bike. A generous grant from Wawa made her wish come true. Read her story to learn how.
When a special needs classroom didn’t have a budget to purchase necessary adaptive equipment for their students Holton’s Heroes rolled in to purchase two specialized mobility chairs called Scoots for the children to use for years to come.
If Waylon is a miracle, Holton’s Heroes is not only an unparalleled resource in the post-birth pediatric traumatic brain injury world, but a stable of miracle workers who made a miracle happen for us by giving us the gift of NAPA.
A few days after Christmas in 2017, Sidu’s parents noticed him struggling to breath correctly so they rushed him to a nearby urgent care. While a doctor was assessing the child’s condition, Sidhu went into cardiac arrest for an hour depriving his brain of necessary oxygen. See how your donations got Sidhu—and his family—back on their feet again.
After a motor bike accident left 16-year-old Noah in a coma with a severe traumatic brain injury, he’s been fighting to regain his mobility. Thanks to our donors he’s been given an incredible therapy tool to use at home so he can continue his journey to recovery.
Leslie felt something was off and went looking for her duaghter, as she didn’t hear her voice amongst the other children playing in another room in the house. Quickly realizing her 18-month-old daughter wasn’t in the home anymore, she frantically began to search. It wasn’t long before Cosette was discovered in the family pool.
After surviving a near-drowning accident while out on a camping trip with some friends, Andy required an expensive piece of durable medical equipment to allow his family to safely shower him at home. Thanks to our donors, Holton’s Heroes was able to fund an incredible device that gives Andy some freedom and comfort once again. Learn how your donations helped change the Snook family’s life for the better.
Shortly after leaving a fun family event spent celebrating a cousin’s birthday, 8-year-old Rylee and her family were violently struck by a drunk driver. The collision left Rylee with a severe brain injury that’s affected the way her entire family lives.
In 2019, 3-year-old Mason was badly injured in an ATV accident while riding with his step-brother. Mason suffered a litany of injuries including 2 broken ribs and cervical spine bruising, but nothing compared to the severity of his brain injury. Learn how your donations helped get Mason back outdoors with his family.
“Tonight, we feel the power of humanity in a bath chair. Go figure. Some people feel excited about cars and other luxuries, but here I am just wanting my boy to be bathed safely,” Joshua mom wrote to us after her son received his gift from Holton’s Heroes.
In 2014, not long after Naya had heart surgery, unexpected complications occurred during recovery causing Naya to be without oxygen for close to 30 minutes. The lack of oxygen to her brain put Naya in grave condition and into a sudden fight for her life. Read how Naya overcame her brain injury and how your donations helped.
Most parents spend their lives protecting their children from the dangers of this world, but what happens when that danger is unpredictable? Find out how Kayla’s parents pushed through a mysterious brain injury to give her the best chance at a future.
At 4 years old, Sincere’s life changed forever while visiting with family. He choked on a grape and was without oxygen for a very long time causing global brain damage. Learn how your donations brought comfort back into his home and his life.
Once dinner was ready, Mireya called the girls to bring 14-month-old Sebastian into the dining room for dinner. “I could hear them, ‘Where is he? where is he?’” Mireya recalls of the moment she realized her son had wandered off.
Bentley’s parents were looking for a way to safely get their child to and from school, which is where Holton’s Heroes stepped in to help. Learn more about Bentley, his story and how your donations helped another hero overcome a pediatric brain injury.
Even though Zion’s family has health insurance, the insurance company will only cover the bare minimum cost of the wheelchair and refuse to fund any other seating devices. This is a devastating and unfair reality many families like Zion’s are faced with every day.
Nesanel, a child with cerebral palsy from cardiac arrest, grew out of his old adaptive bike years ago but insurance denied him a new one. Once Holton’s Heroes became involved, Nesanel received a brand new adaptive bike shipped directly to his doorstep within a few weeks.
“In an instant, just one moment we’re at the park, just trying to do something good as a family, just trying to hang out with the kids. And then I take my eyes off of them for one second, show them the water for another second, and then my baby’s gone.” Verlonda says getting choked up.
“I asked them where Forrest went and they just said, ‘I don’t know,’ and so I ran in the house,” Afton told us. “I came back out and told Jake I couldn’t find him and he just took off to our pond. I vividly remember asking him why he was going to the pond because we never went over there. I didn’t even think Forrest knew how to get there.”
On Father’s Day in 2017, 2-year-old Josiah was running around his home, excitedly zooming from room-to-room , as he typically did. However, in a matter of seconds he managed to elope out of the back door undetected and make his way to the family pool. Read Josiah’s amazing tale of recovery now.
“Having dance class every Saturday has given Kai a true sense of camaraderie and joy that many other children have when on sport teams. It is something that she now gets to experience.”
For some the idea of simply wearing a mask in public has ruined their year, but for the Salley family watching their son recover from a near-drowning accident put the importance of protecting the most vulnerable in perspective.
Victoria’s brain was severely damaged by rare side effects of an anti-seizure medicine she was taking to help control her epilepsy. Read how Holton’s Heroes and your donations helped bring some therapeutic fun back into the home.
After surviving a near-drowning accident in a koi pond on his family’s property, 5-year-old Legend needed a new way to join his older brother and sister on neighborhood bike ride.
Landon’s father, Jeff Reese, recalls hearing faint screams while he was preparing breakfast with the other adults, only to quickly discover that his son was involved in a tragic accident involving a horse.
At only 18 months old Gracelyn was a near-drowning survivor—and a living miracle in the eyes of her parents.
London suffered a severe traumatic brain injury after a hit-and-run accident sent her to the hospital unable to breath on her own.
After surviving a horrific car accident right before she was set to graduate high school, Sami has now lost her in-home therapy due to a flawed system. Read how Holton’s Heroes helped bring therapy back into her home.
Holton’s Heroes was able to purchase the Freeloader Child Carrier plus special neck support for Maddex, a drowning survivor. Now, young Maddex can join his family on outdoor hikes again without the confines of a wheelchair.
“Since Tati’s accident, birthdays and Christmas have been hard because it’s a struggle to find appropriate gifts for a child with such severe needs,” Tati’s mom admits about the reality of raising a near-fatal drowning victim. Learn how Holton’s Heroes made this past holiday extra special for Tati and her whole family.
After being shaken as an infant by his biological father, Logan was left with injuries similar to a “10-story fall.” His recovery has not been an easy one but this hero is proving everyone wrong 17 years later.
During a trip away from home, Colton’s parent’s innocently laid him down to sleep on a standard-sized bed. Not long after the unthinkable happened—Colton fell off of the bed and suffered a life-altering brain injury. Now his family urges other parents to learn from their mistake. Read more to about Colton and how Holton’s Heroes helped his family.
“One morning I woke up for an early feeding and found Gracie very sick. She was vomiting uncontrollably and needless to say, I was terrified. I took her directly to the hospital only to find that Gracie wasn't sick at all—she had been violently shaken by her biological father.”
While talking with some neighbors, Chase’s mom faintly heard some kids yelling at him in the background. “One of his friends was yelling, ‘Chase, get up!’” Wendi Schweiger recalls. The next few moments would define the next few years of this Chase and his family’s lives.
It was in the foster system that Noah met his soon to be forever-mommy, Laurie Suter. When Laurie met Noah he had severe global developmental delays, cerebral palsy, was g-tube dependent and non-verbal. Obviously, she instantly fell in love.
Curiosity got the best of Matthew and he ended up face down at the bottom of the bucket with no way of escape. Matthew was only 11 months old when he was found unresponsive after the accidental drowning in the family’s home.
After gaining full-custody of his son at 8 months old, Tyree noticed that his son wasn’t reaching milestones and seemed to suffer from random “spasms.” One trip to a hospital revealed something much worse than an occasional spasm.
Holton's Heroes sponsored three incredible campers to attend the 2018 summer session of Camp Cranium—a camp dedicated to providing a one-of-a-kind experience for children with brain injuries.
Christi Jo’s odds were stacked against her before she was even born, as doctors discovered a problem while she was still in utero.
At age twelve, Maria’s life took a drastic turn when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor called a glioma. After undergoing brain surgery, Maria suffered a stroke that resulted in a traumatic brain injury.
When Gabriel was 5 years old, he was like many kids his age—he loved baseball, swimming, and riding his bike. One evening in 2014 a sudden and seemingly innocuous fever changed all of that in the blink of an eye.
Sometimes asking a question on Facebook leads to everything but an actual answer. In Shelley Fincher's case, it led to her daughter receiving multiple pieces of medically necessary—and expensive—equipment thanks to Holton's Heroes and their generous donors.
When Anakin was 9 months old, he suddenly became extremely lethargic and began vomiting. A few days later he was being airlifted to Texas Children's Hospital ICU to have a mysterious mass removed from his brain.
When Elizabeth arrived at the hospital, she discovered her infant daughter unconscious and enduring a barrage of seizures from apparent head trauma, as doctor’s informed her that her daughter Giada’s skull had been fractured.
Elijah's babysitter found him face down at the bottom of her pool while his mother was at work, completely unaware of the tragedy that was taking place mere miles from where she worked.
When Grayson woke up from a medically induced coma, his mother said the metabolic brain injury he sustained changed him.
When Sire's mother, Danielle, looks at her son each morning, she knows the fight her son must endure internally each day—it's what drives her to help him overcome any lasting effects of his TBI.
While waiting for open-heart surgery as an infant, Webb went into cardiac arrest. CPR was applied for 70 grueling minutes until his heart began to beat again. Doctors were able to revive Webb, but the damage to his brain was done. This is his story.
"I hollered at the nurse to start CPR but the nurse just froze and kept repeating 'wake up' to Leila," Toula Porter says of the moment her daughter suffered an anoxic brain injury.
Not much is known about the actual head-on impact, but it's obvious a lot of miracles took place in that moment, not the least of which is Tyler still being alive today.
Carter Fowler was shaken by his biological father at only 5 weeks of age. While his father received a 32 year prison sentence, Carter received a life sentence worth of brain injuries.
On March 22, 2016, Emma and Richard welcomed their only child into their lives, a baby boy named Liam. After a normal and healthy pregnancy doctors never predicted what would happen shortly after their sweet son entered this world.
Holton's Heroes sponsored three special needs campers to attend the 2017 summer session of Camp Cranium—a camp dedicated to providing a one-of-a-kind experience for children with brain injuries.
While the bleeding and the stroke fortunately left Owen physically capable, it all but destroyed his speech and language.
In the fall of 2016, we received a message from Tessa's mother Jan explaining the extraordinary circumstances that brought this family together.
Wyatt's home is a household filled with love, passion, and faith — incredible family traits that would be suddenly put to the test one tragic afternoon in 2014.
Aleena was without oxygen during her birth which caused Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) and eventually lead to her being diagnosed with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy.
Holton's Heroes became aware of young Caleb through Facebook. His mother, Jackie, was asking other parents of special needs kids if anyone knew where she could find more affordable therapy switches so she could continue the therapy he was doing at home. After hearing his story, we had to help.
Stories like Christian's are sometimes as hard to read about as it is impossible to pinpoint what his parents, Amy and Matt, could've done differently the day they found their son unresponsive in his pack-n-play.
Little Celeste Sparks, born one day after Holton on October 2, 2014, was only 18 months old when she was allegedly shaken by her caretaker on March 15 of this year. It’s been a long road but Celeste is now home with her parents after spending 11 grueling weeks hospitalized.
Allyson Turner – known to her friends and family as Ally – was taking a bath at home on December 8th, 2015 when she suddenly fell unconscious and slipped under the water eventually drowning in less than a foot of water. But against all odds, she survived and her community rallied around her to, put it simply, “Just Fight.”
One afternoon, Sean and Tiffany were joyfully at a routine ultrasound appointment when they received a call that would change their life forever.
We discovered Calin and his wonderful family by watching a news story that CBS 2 in Los Angeles covered on a family and their efforts to bring the woman who hurt their son to justice. Calin was the victim of SBS (Shaken Baby Syndrome) by the child's caretaker. We quickly realized that Calin - and his family - would be the perfect first recipient of Holton's Heroes charity.
Victoria’s life, filled with creativity and a close bond with her brother, took a tragic turn just shy of her sixteenth birthday. While riding with friends, the car she was in was recklessly driven through a traffic light, resulting in a catastrophic collision that left her with severe injuries.