Helping Ayden Heal, Stay Safe, and Reconnect with the World
For the Brinkley family, the past year has brought more challenges than they ever imagined, and leaving the house has become one of the hardest parts of daily life.
Ayden Brinkley is an 11-year-old living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive neuromuscular disorder causing a lack of motor, pulmonary, and cardiac function. Diagnosed in 2021, Ayden is now fully dependent on a wheelchair for mobility. He is a kind, sweet, and caring child who loves spending time with family and being out in the world. But, a series of recent medical setbacks has made that nearly impossible.
Earlier this year, Ayden suffered a fall that resulted in a fractured leg. On the day doctors were checking to see if it had healed, his family learned he also had compression fractures in his back. While still recovering, Ayden was involved in an accident on his school bus, which caused additional injuries to his back, shoulder, and ribs. Since then, pain, fear of re-injury, and safety concerns have drastically changed the family’s routine.
Outside of doctor’s appointments and school transportation, the Brinkleys rarely leave the house.
Ayden’s wheelchair provides the critical support his body needs, but the family’s current vehicle is not wheelchair accessible. Transferring Ayden in and out of the van is painful for him and physically difficult for his mom, Tracey. With fragile bones, even a single transfer carries the risk of further injury. Because of this, the family avoids outings whenever possible, relying on Ayden’s dad for transfers when medical appointments are unavoidable.
This isolation has taken a toll on the entire family.
Before these injuries, the Brinkleys were an active family. Ayden loved arcades, visiting theme parks, and spending time at his aunt’s house for family game nights. Now, those moments feel far away. Ayden talks often about wanting to get back to the arcade, and his family holds onto hope that, once transportation is safe, those simple joys can return.
An accessible vehicle would be life-changing for the Brinkley family.
With a wheelchair-accessible van, Ayden could remain safely seated in his wheelchair during transportation, eliminating painful and dangerous transfers and reducing the fear of further injury. It would allow the family to leave the house confidently, attend appointments safely, reconnect with loved ones, and slowly reintroduce the activities Ayden loves most.
Through Jett Foundation’s Accessible Vehicle Fund, the Brinkley family is working to fundraise half or more of the cost of an accessible vehicle. Once their goal is reached, Jett Foundation will step in to cover the remaining costs and coordinate the purchase and delivery of the vehicle, ensuring it meets Ayden’s needs now and as Duchenne progresses.
Consider helping the Brinkley family attain the freedom and independence they deserve by contributing toward their goal below!
All donations to Jett Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed under applicable law and is an unrestricted contribution to the Jett Giving Fund. The family is working to raise half the funds needed for their van or more; when they reach their goal, Jett Foundation will cover the remaining costs and coordinate purchase and delivery of the vehicle.
