A wave of support is washing over the Marathon community for 7-year-old Ellis Sequeira, who is currently hospitalized in Miami following a sudden and serious brain bleed.
The young boy, described as “more like family” by long-time friends, was rushed to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital last week via Trauma Star air transport for a life-threatening condition.
“It was a normal morning just like always,” said Ellis’ mother Mariana. “With four minutes left before the bus, Ellis started to complain of pain in his eye; a minute later, he fainted. Everything happened so fast.”
When paramedics arrived, Mariana said, Ellis convulsed. Rushed to Fishermen’s Hospital, X-rays immediately showed blood on the right side of his brain.
“They had to intubate him and send him to Miami Nicklaus Children’s (Hospital) by helicopter, where the operating room was waiting,” said Mariana. “It was so very scary.”
Ellis’ condition is due to an underlying rare condition called arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which entails a tangle of abnormal blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the brain. The vessels didn’t form correctly, and on the day he collapsed, one of them ruptured.
“Everything went by so quickly, the minutes were counting to keep him alive,” said Mariana. “We arrived at Nicklaus Children’s for surgery and he went through the EMR scan and then straight to the operating room. After a six-hour wait and two surgeries, the doctor confirmed he was still alive. … His condition had zero symptoms. Yet, despite all of this, he is still such a happy boy. He is truly amazing.”
Ellis’s medical journey has been difficult and demanding. Doctors anticipate that he will need at least two more brain surgeries and is expected to remain hospitalized for a minimum of two to four months as he recovers.
“I just want to go back home and back to school and play with my brothers and friends,” Ellis told his mother.
The crisis has placed an immense emotional and financial burden on the Sequeira family. The long recovery means one parent must remain at Ellis’ bedside, instantly transforming the family’s financial situation from a two-income household down to one. The family has four boys in total, including Ellis, with the youngest only six months old.
“The bills haven’t stopped,” said Shayne Messina, a family friend behind a GoFundMe drive for the family. “Ellis needs his mom there constantly, and because of that, she’s having to pay for dinners every night at the hospital. They need money for transportation and lodging so they can stay close to him as long as he’s in critical care.”
The campaign has a $14,000 minimum goal, and at press time has raised nearly $10,000.
“Ellis needs us, but he really needs his mom,” Messina said. “Every bit helps them keep a parent at Ellis’ bedside. He is a remarkable young man and his spirits are high and positive.”
In addition to financial contributions, the family is asking for continued spiritual support. “Ellis is still in ICU and needs all the support he can get, so please continue to keep him in your prayers,” a recent update on the GoFundMe page stated.
Ellis’ fight is just beginning, but the outpouring of community support offers a much-needed lifeline to the Sequeira family during an unimaginably difficult time. For more information on how to help, scan the QR code.
QR LINK: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ellis-and-family-through-crisis
