{"id":14,"date":"2024-09-27T18:14:56","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T18:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cota1.wpengine.com\/cloningsite\/?page_id=14"},"modified":"2025-04-08T08:24:22","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T08:24:22","slug":"our-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Debron\u2019s Journey: A Story of Faith, Strength, and Resilience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?\u201d \u2013 Psalm 27:1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At birth, Debron was diagnosed with a complex congenital heart defect known as single ventricle with double inlet left ventricle (DILV). Doctors informed us that he would require a series of three open-heart surgeries to manage the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debron\u2019s heart journey began at just nine days old with his first surgery\u2014a pulmonary artery banding procedure to restrict blood flow and protect his lungs. Once he gained strength, he underwent his second surgery, the Glenn Shunt, which rerouted blood flow from the upper body directly to the lungs, bypassing the heart. Not long after, we received an unexpected call: Debron needed an additional surgery to correct a complication with the Glenn Shunt. This became his third open-heart surgery. His final planned procedure, the Fontan, was performed to redirect blood flow from the lower body to the lungs, helping to ease the burden on his single functioning ventricle. These four major surgeries took place during the first five years of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these challenges, Debron began his elementary school years with a spirit full of adventure and perseverance, earning several academic awards. However, in 2012, at just eight years old, Debron was rushed to the emergency room due to abdominal swelling. He was diagnosed with Protein-Losing Enteropathy (PLE)\u2014a rare condition where the body loses essential proteins through the gastrointestinal tract, leading to dangerously low protein levels. This diagnosis led to numerous hospital stays and years of specialized treatment. Eventually, doctors concluded that a heart transplant would be the only long-term solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, the strain from PLE began to affect Debron\u2019s liver. In December 2023, his health declined significantly, and doctors discovered multiple lesions on his liver. It became clear that in addition to a new heart, Debron would also need a liver transplant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We began the transplant evaluation process, but due to the complexity of his case, our home hospital recommended a second opinion. In August 2024, we traveled to Chicago to visit Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children\u2019s Hospital for a pre-transplant assessment. During our stay at the Ronald McDonald House, we met the dedicated team that would be involved in Debron\u2019s care. In October, we received the call that Lurie\u2019s team had accepted his case and would begin preparing for a combined heart and liver transplant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plans were made to return to Chicago on October 16, 2024. However, on September 20, Debron\u2019s health deteriorated. His lungs filled with fluid, requiring the insertion of a chest tube. Given the urgency, his home medical team coordinated with Lurie\u2019s cardiac team, and Debron was transported by medical flight to Chicago to begin the next chapter of his journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout all of this, Debron has never complained. He is known for his radiant smile and unwavering positivity. Despite the physical toll, his academic performance has remained exceptional through elementary, middle, and now high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the path ahead is uncertain, we continue to walk in faith\u2014trusting God\u2019s plan and drawing strength from hope, love, and the overwhelming support of those around us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Children\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>\"\"
\n

As DeBron\u2019s mom, I am so proud of the young man he is becoming, thanks to the positive influence of strong, respectful male figures and the family village in his life. Surrounded by mentors who led by example \u2014 with integrity, discipline, and purpose \u2014 he was learning what it meant to be accountable, confident, and driven. These men showed him how to walk the right path, and their guidance made a lasting difference in his journey to developing into a young man. Although his medical condition required him to leave their physical presence to focus on his transplant journey, the values they instilled continued to guide and inspire him every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lying in a hospital bed, connected to tubes and a breathing machine, DeBron’s strength speaks louder than words. Behind the machines is a young man shaped by love, courage, and the powerful influence of mentors who taught him to stand tall\u2014even when he must now fight lying down. By his side are his mom, family, and friends, whose unwavering love and prayers lift him daily. Though his journey has taken a hard turn, the lessons of resilience, purpose, and manhood still live within him\u2014carried forward by the strength of his village.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Debron\u2019s Journey: A Story of Faith, Strength, and Resilience \u201cThe Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?\u201d \u2013 Psalm 27:1 At birth, Debron was diagnosed with a complex congenital heart defect known as single ventricle with double […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":82,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOur Story - COTA for Team Debron<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Our Story\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Debron\u2019s Journey: A Story of Faith, Strength, and Resilience \u201cThe Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?\u201d \u2013 Psalm 27:1 At birth, Debron was diagnosed with a complex congenital heart defect known as single ventricle with double […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"COTA for Team Debron\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-08T08:24:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1434\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/\",\"name\":\"Our Story - COTA for Team Debron\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-27T18:14:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-08T08:24:22+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1434},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Our Story\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/\",\"name\":\"COTA for Team Debron\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Our Story - COTA for Team Debron","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Our Story","og_description":"Debron\u2019s Journey: A Story of Faith, Strength, and Resilience \u201cThe Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?\u201d \u2013 Psalm 27:1 At birth, Debron was diagnosed with a complex congenital heart defect known as single ventricle with double […]","og_url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/","og_site_name":"COTA for Team Debron","article_modified_time":"2025-04-08T08:24:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":1434,"url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/","url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/","name":"Our Story - COTA for Team Debron","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg","datePublished":"2024-09-27T18:14:56+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-08T08:24:22+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6499\/2025\/01\/Debron-Martin-2-scaled-e1738257923809.jpg","width":1920,"height":1434},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/our-story\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Our Story"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/#website","url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/","name":"COTA for Team Debron","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamdebron\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}