December 6th, 2023 is a day our family will never forget. We received an unexpected call from Boden’s daycare letting us know that an ambulance had been called for our two-year-old son. During recess, Boden had suddenly collapsed—losing control of his head, neck, and legs—and began vomiting. What followed was an 18-day hospital stay that would introduce us to a world we never knew existed—pediatric stroke—and spark a deep commitment to supporting other families suddenly thrust into the same unfamiliar journey.

At first, doctors explored more common causes like a concussion or a virus. But as Boden’s symptoms progressed—he lost his ability to speak, could no longer walk, and struggled to hold even the smallest objects—we knew we needed to dig deeper. With the help of our dear friend Bianca (now one of our board members!), who works in the medical field, we were able to advocate for more advanced testing. Three days in, an EEG, MRI, and CT scan revealed a rare diagnosis: spontaneous bilateral vertebral artery dissections and cerebellar basilar artery ischemic strokes.

With Bianca’s guidance and support, we connected with the only pediatric stroke specialist in Oregon at OHSU. Her expertise helped us ask the right questions, push for the right care, and make critical decisions for Boden’s recovery.

Throughout this journey, we discovered just how limited the resources and awareness are for pediatric stroke. As we navigated each challenge, we made a promise to ourselves: when we made it to the other side, we would do everything we could to raise awareness and make sure other families didn’t feel as alone or unprepared as we did.

Today, we are incredibly grateful to share that Boden is making a miraculous recovery. While we may never fully understand why this happened, we do know one thing for certain—Boden’s story is far from over. This is just the beginning, and we believe with all our hearts that he’s going to change the world.