When Braden West entered the world, the prognosis delivered to his parents was devastating: he was not expected to survive. The little boy faced insurmountable odds from birth, yet his life-threatening condition would become the catalyst for one stunning miracle after another. Today, Braden is a vibrant 22-year-old man who continues to celebrate his life by embracing his lifelong dream of becoming a dedicated firefighter.
Braden West was born with the rare and severe craniofacial condition known as Pfeiffer syndrome Type 2, a disorder characterized by the premature fusion of skull bones, leading to malformations of the skull and frequently an underdeveloped brain. His mother, Cheri, sensed the gravity of the situation and was informed of her son’s perilous condition just two weeks before his delivery.
“I mean, he’s kicking in my belly and I’m praying for God to take him home,” Cheri recounted somberly to News Nation Now in 2020. She elaborated on the terrifying early outlook: “It looked like he was not going to have the back of his head. It looked like he was going to be born with teeth. It looked like it was a bad situation.”
The Birth of a Bond and the Start of a Battle
Despite the terrifying medical expectations, when Braden was finally born, Cheri immediately formed an unbreakable bond with her special boy. Tragically, she also felt a desperate sense of helplessness, knowing that many children with Braden’s severe diagnosis do not live past birth. In Braden’s case, doctors projected he would not survive beyond 18 months.
“I said dear God please, just let me have him for a little while,” Cheri recalled praying.
The severity of his condition was immediately visible. “There’s a picture of him when he was born and it shows his skull very well, a distinct clover shape,” Cheri told The Owensboro Times. The family was advised to prepare for the worst. “At a month old they let us bring him home. He was not thriving, they knew he was not going to make it. We brought him home to meet everyone so he wouldn’t die in a hospital.”
But from that moment on, Braden West began his incredible journey of defying every expectation placed upon him. Bolstered by the unwavering support of his loving family, the little boy started to show undeniable signs of progression.
Surviving the Impossible: The Angel’s Intervention
Cheri detailed the agonizing medical journey that defined his early years: “He had over 30 surgeries, got a tracheotomy at just 3 months old, and once had a procedure done with a 10% survival rate.” That particular procedure stands out as a true test of fate. “We had to sign the DNR papers, say our goodbyes and everything,” Cheri said. “Instead of bad news, the doctors came out and said he was okay.”
Beyond his family, Braden formed a singular, life-changing bond with registered nurse Michele Eddings Linn. When Braden was just an infant, his health plummeted, and his future was hanging by a thread. “Anything a mother doesn’t want to hear is what they told us,” Cheri said of those dark days. “It’s amazing with faith in God what you can get through. Anyone who knew us or knew of us were praying for us.”
Michele was tirelessly by Braden’s side the night he nearly succumbed. “I just remember, you know, praying, ‘Lord just either take him home or make him better,’” she shared, adding, “Because no one could watch him continue to go through this.”
In yet another staggering twist of fate, baby Braden pulled through that critical night. Linn recounts that he became her first patient ever to be discharged from hospice care. The bond remains so powerful that Braden affectionately refers to Michele as his “angel” and even asked her to take his senior high school photographs years later.
“17 years ago I cried because I thought his time on Earth was ending, and now I’m crying because he is graduating [from] high school and his life is just beginning!,” Linn wrote movingly in a Facebook post at the time.
A Life Defying Expectations
The emotional significance of his survival and academic achievement was not lost on his family. “To watch him become this amazing young man has been emotional, but yet I’m so proud,” his mother told The Epoch Times. “When I was watching him walk the line, every emotion of the first few months of his life came flooding back. All I could think about was, he isn’t supposed to be doing this, he wasn’t supposed to even be able to hold a pencil, speak, see, hear … and here we are.”
To properly commemorate such an incredible milestone, Braden’s parents organized a spectacular surprise: arranging for him to be flown via helicopter directly into the middle of a live concert featuring one of his favorite musicians, country singer Cam Thomspon. Braden himself described his high school graduation day as “perfect.”
“I feel pretty good knowing I worked so hard to get to this day because it wasn’t always easy,” he reflected.
Braden’s progress required monumental physical effort; he walked with a walker until he was five years old, gradually learning to walk independently through relentless therapy and determination. Now, he is not only fully mobile but an active member of the civil air patrol unit in Owensboro, Kentucky.
He always dared to dream big, and now, at 22, he is actively living out his ultimate lifelong aspiration of becoming a firefighter, having joined the Moseleyville Fire Department as a volunteer fireman.
His mother, Cheri, believes her son’s astonishing achievements serve as a crucial and special reminder to anyone facing seemingly insurmountable odds. Her advice, inspired by Braden’s journey, is powerful: “Don’t ever give up … No matter how hard the mountain is to climb, keep climbing because the view at the top is amazing!”
Thanks to Braden’s remarkable faith, unyielding spirit, and pure determination, he has not only survived the medical conditions that claimed so many others but has thrived, achieving impressive academic success and embracing a life of service. His journey stands as a testament to the fact that courage, resilience, and the sheer will to live can conquer the most dire medical prognoses.
