Things changed overnight for 13-year-old Evin Ortega. What started as a throat infection among the boy and three of his five siblings quickly evolved into a serious fight for his life.
The Hesperia boy’s immune system rejected the antibiotics prescribed for the infection. They turned his throat black, attacked his cells and caused blood clots in the brain. Evin suffered 13 strokes while in a 15-day coma at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, during which time parents Brittany and David Ortega say they were advised to say their goodbyes.
This life-changing event was caused by only two days of taking antibiotics, the same ones that healed Evin’s three other siblings with the same virus.
Evin, a student at Hesperia Junior High, was hospitalized for four months. After a partial brain removal due to excess pressure and bleeding, the 13-year-old now has titanium plates where his skull once was, is nonverbal and has limited mobility.
The Ortega family was showcased on NBC4 news on Sunday, March 8, sharing their story of the “miracle son,” and requesting votes and donations in the Great Bike Giveaway to bring home an “adaptive bike” for Evin.
“He used to be very active,” Brittany told the Daily Press, “jumping on the trampoline with his siblings, going on bike rides, catching lizards outside. He can’t do that anymore.”
The Ortegas say Evin’s rehabilitation nurse is “incredible” and pushes Evin to go further with his mobility each day, even though it is “scary” to relearn many of the motor skills he lost after the incident.
Evin won’t have access to physical therapy indefinitely, however, and the adaptive bike will help continue the healing process at home. As a result of the strokes, Evin cannot access his right-side limbs. The bike allows a more accessible way to utilize those limbs to help strengthen them over time.
Additionally, many areas of Hesperia are not wheelchair accessible.
“As any Hesperia resident would know, the sidewalks are barely accessible to pedestrians, where they exist at all,” David said. With the bike, there would be no restrictions for Evin on getting around in the city.
Visit www.greatbikegiveaway.com to donate or vote for Evin to bring home his adaptive bike and speed the process of his recovery.
McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Throat infection caused permanent paralysis for 13-year-old Hesperia boy
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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