Messiah’s Journey: A Story of Love, Strength, and Hope

Our story began like so many others—two excited parents eagerly waiting to find out the gender of our baby, dreaming of all the moments to come. But at just 15 weeks pregnant, our world changed. We were told that Messiah had an extended bladder, something we didn’t fully understand at the time. Hoping for more answers, we turned to my OBGYN, which led us to a hospital in Austin, TX, about an hour away from home. There, with more advanced medical equipment, we received devastating news—our little boy had Stage 4 Kidney Disease and a blockage in his urethra that was causing complications in utero.

From there, our journey took us even farther—to Houston, TX, over three hours away—where specialists explained the full severity of Messiah’s condition. The prognosis was heartbreaking. The doctors told us our baby would need to stay in the NICU for an extended period and might not survive past 6-9 months. They even gave us the option to terminate the pregnancy.

But in that moment, we knew one thing for certain—Messiah was our baby, our blessing, our fighter. And we were going to fight for him.

In August 2021, my water broke early, leading to a month-and-a-half stay in the hospital before I was induced for labor. Then, on October 20, 2021, our warrior, Messiah Mikelle, was born! Just six days after entering the world, he endured six surgeries and spent the first four months of his life in the NICU. Those days were filled with fear, hope, and endless prayers.

When we finally brought him home, the journey was far from over. There were more surgeries, countless appointments, and many difficult moments. But through it all, Messiah has shown a strength beyond words—a strength that has kept us all going.

Now, we’ve reached a life-changing milestone: Messiah has been approved to be listed for a kidney transplant! This moment, this step forward, is what we’ve been fighting for since the day we heard his diagnosis.

We couldn’t have made it this far without the love, prayers, and unwavering support from our family, friends, and even kind-hearted strangers who have embraced our journey. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Every message, every donation to COTA in honor of Messiah, every prayer—it all means the world to us. We are so close to giving Messiah the life he deserves, and we are beyond grateful for your love and support.

With love and appreciation,
The Colemans 

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.