Military family needs help; son on life support
Nine-month-old Austin Wright lies on life support in a Los Angeles hospital because of liver failure. His parents, Selma natives David and Courtney Wright, take turns at Austin's bedside. They are a young family in a medical crisis, and they're looking for help to pay expenses of staying in Los Angeles to be near their son. Austin is on a list to get a liver transplant, but he can't undergo surgery until he fights off a bacterial blood infection. David Wright -- who's in the U.S. Navy and stationed in San Diego -- said Austin could be hospitalized for one to three months. "The struggle is day to day," said David Wright.
Austin was born with biliary artesia -- a rare condition in newborns in which the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent. The cause of the condition is unknown, and the only effective treatments are certain surgeries or a liver transplant.
Austin had one major surgery when he was about 1 month old, and he's had six or seven minor surgeries.
On Easter Sunday, the little boy took a turn for the worse and was flown from San Diego to Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. He's in critical condition, David Wright said.
The Wrights are staying about two blocks away at a hotel for patients' families. David Wright said they're paying $120 a night for the hotel, $20 a day for parking and about $60 a day for meals.
Austin was born with biliary artesia -- a rare condition in newborns in which the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent. The cause of the condition is unknown, and the only effective treatments are certain surgeries or a liver transplant.
Austin had one major surgery when he was about 1 month old, and he's had six or seven minor surgeries.
On Easter Sunday, the little boy took a turn for the worse and was flown from San Diego to Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. He's in critical condition, David Wright said.
The Wrights are staying about two blocks away at a hotel for patients' families. David Wright said they're paying $120 a night for the hotel, $20 a day for parking and about $60 a day for meals.
Wright, 28, and his 26-year-old wife split their time between the hospital and caring for their 2-year-old daughter, Makayla, at the hotel.
"Our daughter wants to go home," David Wright said. "It's hard trying to balance out life in a different city, away from home."
The Navy pays for Austin's hospitalization and medical bills, but isn't providing money for the Wrights' daily expenses in Los Angeles, David Wright said.
He said people interested in helping can donate to their address: 3158 Betancourt Lane, San Diego, 92123. A trust account for Austin also has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank. Wright said people can e-mail him to get the account number. Wright's e-mail isusnavy1618@aol.com.
David and Courtney Wright were born and raised in Selma. He is a 1999 graduate of Selma High and she is a 2001 graduate of Immanuel High School in Reedley. David Wright and his wife's brother, Ronnie Horn of Selma, have been on active duty in the Navy since January 2006.
David Wright has been deployed twice in the Persian Gulf on an aircraft carrier, and Ronnie Horn is there now on a carrier. David Wright said he and Ronnie Horn are possible donors for Austin. In a living donor transplant, a piece of healthy liver is transplanted.
The Wrights have numerous relatives in Selma. David Wright has his mother, Elva Jacobsen; brothers, John and Michael Wright and sisters Deanna Ash and Elizabeth Crane. Courtney Wright's parents, Shelley Horn and Ron Horn, live here, too.
Jacobsen and Ash spent last week at UCLA with the Wrights. "I just wished I could have stayed longer," said Jacobsen, who had to return home because of work.
She added: "I'm thankful for the people praying for my grandson and the support they have received."
"Our daughter wants to go home," David Wright said. "It's hard trying to balance out life in a different city, away from home."
The Navy pays for Austin's hospitalization and medical bills, but isn't providing money for the Wrights' daily expenses in Los Angeles, David Wright said.
He said people interested in helping can donate to their address: 3158 Betancourt Lane, San Diego, 92123. A trust account for Austin also has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank. Wright said people can e-mail him to get the account number. Wright's e-mail isusnavy1618@aol.com.
David and Courtney Wright were born and raised in Selma. He is a 1999 graduate of Selma High and she is a 2001 graduate of Immanuel High School in Reedley. David Wright and his wife's brother, Ronnie Horn of Selma, have been on active duty in the Navy since January 2006.
David Wright has been deployed twice in the Persian Gulf on an aircraft carrier, and Ronnie Horn is there now on a carrier. David Wright said he and Ronnie Horn are possible donors for Austin. In a living donor transplant, a piece of healthy liver is transplanted.
The Wrights have numerous relatives in Selma. David Wright has his mother, Elva Jacobsen; brothers, John and Michael Wright and sisters Deanna Ash and Elizabeth Crane. Courtney Wright's parents, Shelley Horn and Ron Horn, live here, too.
Jacobsen and Ash spent last week at UCLA with the Wrights. "I just wished I could have stayed longer," said Jacobsen, who had to return home because of work.
She added: "I'm thankful for the people praying for my grandson and the support they have received."
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