#AceStrong

My son Ace; beautiful, outgoing, compassionate, feisty, strong, a warrior, a fighter. Traumatic brain injury survivor after tumor removal at 7 years old. More surgeries to follow, life changing surgeries, therapies, medications, stroke survivor, learning to walk & talk & chew & swallow. The “special” classrooms during school years, the bullying & teasing which I think hurt me more then him going through it.

The small illnesses that devastated his body, colds to pneumonia, bladder infections which turned to sepsis and total liver & kidney failure, watching my first born and my only son slowly drift away. But he never gave up! Why? He was a born survivor. He was told from day one that he is an equal. He was not allowed to use his TBI as an excuse. He was loved just as much after as before. He was held to the same rules as his sisters. He was expected to finish high school and graduate which he did proudly in 2004. He was a loving son and he made sure I knew that he loved me as much as I did him.

My beautiful son; 8/1/86 to 12/7/17. After a life a fighting, my son went to sleep after a day of making Christmas cards and never woke up. Pneumonia and flu, his body was too weak to fight both. Miss him everyday. Rest in peace baby. Run free, no limits or restrictions. Love you son…

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Opinions expressed within this story belong solely to the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of the National Brain Tumor Society.