LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The mother of a 17-year-old boy on a ventilator is pleading for a miracle while her son waits for a double transplant.
Brandon Vaughn tested positive for COVID-19 on October 30th. After going to a local clinic in McCreary County, then a hospital in Corbin, he was flown to the Kentucky Children's hospital as things progressively got worse.
"His kidneys won't function. He's on dialysis, and he's on ECMO, and he's on the vent," said his mother, Pansy Vaughn.
It's now a race against the clock to get him a new lung and potentially a new kidney.
"We don't understand how to tell a 17-year-old that he may not survive," said Pansy. "They approached us about doing a lung transplant, but where his kidneys aren't functioning, they won't do a lung transplant here. So, we're just trying to find somebody that will."
Pansy says doctors at Kentucky Children's are hoping Brandon's kidneys start functioning so that he can receive a lung transplant.
However, if they don't start functioning soon, Pansy says her only option is to beg another hospital to take a chance and do a double transplant to save his life.
"They [Kentucky Children's] said they tried to reach out to multiple institutions, and they denied them," said Pansy.
She's now praying for a miracle that someone or somewhere will be able to help.
"Please help him. He's 17. He has his whole life ahead of him," said Pansy.
Pansy says Brandon loves the outdoors, and she hopes he can one day get back to doing what he enjoys.
Brandon has spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and will soon spend New Year's Day on a ventilator. Pansy doesn't plan on taking him off as long as his heart is still beating.
"There are times where we are hopeful, and then other times, we're bawling our eyes out, scared we're gonna lose our baby," said Pansy.
Click here to help the family with hospital bills and click here for more information on how to register to be a donor.
