BRAVE LIKE BECK FOUNDATION
Meet Beck's Buddies
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Beck's Story
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Brave Like Beck Foundation is dedicated to honoring the inspiring journey of Beckham, who was diagnosed at 7 months old with a rare genetic mutation as a type of Mitochondrial disease. An unexpected turn transformed him from a healthy baby into a warrior-- fighting a multi-organ failure genetic disorder, resulting in significant neurological challenges. As one of only 17 known cases globally, Beckham's unique story captured the attention of doctors around the world. In the worst of his days, medical teams told Beckham's parents that he would not make it home from the hospital. Palliative care stepped in to help his family make the most difficult decisions and just when it seemed all odds were against him, Beckham began fighting the strongest fight of his life- literally. Day by day, he started gaining more strength and recovering in ways they didn't think was possible. After 59 days, Beckham defeated all odds and was able to go home.
The journey didn't end there. Beckham's family was faced with new challenges as they navigated having a very medically fragile infant. Through their journey, they found an incredible village of medical professionals, interventionists, and an entire community who came together offering support. Beckham's story has allowed us to connect with families who have fought similar fights, shared their stories of fear and hope, and who have a desperate need for community support.
Makayla's Story
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On December 22, 2023, 15-year-old Makayla was spending the night at her friend’s house in Jupiter Farms when a devastating tragedy occurred. That evening, Makayla and her friend were taken out in a side-by-side off-road vehicle by the friend’s stepfather—who was intoxicated at the time. While riding on the streets, the vehicle flipped into a nearby canal.
Makayla became trapped underwater and was unresponsive by the time emergency crews arrived—approximately 11 minutes and 30 seconds after the accident. The adult responsible for her safety at the time ran off away from the girls. She was miraculously revived after 10 minutes of CPR, but the lack of oxygen caused devastating brain injuries.
In the months that followed, Makayla received intensive care at St. Mary’s Medical Center, including 60 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. She was later transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, where she faced ongoing neurological complications as a result of the accident. Despite the heartbreak, Makayla continues to fight with incredible strength and courage.
Makayla has undergone hundreds of hours of therapy, intensives, and neurological support. As a big sister to two younger siblings, Makayla's strong spirit and will to fight is apparent in her journey!
Kelly's Story
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Kelly is just 4 years old — a bright, spunky, and fiercely independent little girl who lights up every room she enters. Only a short time ago, she was running, dancing, and climbing like any other 4-year-old. But within just hours, her world completely changed.
After 5 long weeks of multiple ER visits, hospital stays, countless scans, a bone marrow biopsy, follow-ups with specialists, and endless back-and-forth with doctors, Paula and Eric finally got an answer — or at least part of one.
Doctors discovered that a mass was on Kelly’s spinal cord and on the nerves that control her legs and bladder. What started as severe leg pain quickly turned into a complete loss of movement and feeling in both legs, along with loss of bowel and bladder control.
On October 25, Kelly was rushed into emergency spinal surgery to give her the best possible chance to walk again. During the operation, what the neurosurgeon believed was a tumor turned out to be a large blood clot on her spinal cord. The surgery was a success in removing most of it, but Kelly’s case remains somewhat of an extremely rare medical mystery.
Because a small portion of the mass was too risky to remove, doctors are still waiting on final pathology results from the Mayo Clinic to determine exactly what it is and what steps come next. These answers will guide her future treatment, potential surgeries and recovery.
In the meantime, Kelly is proving every day what a fighter she is! She is currently an inpatient at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, working hard in daily physical and occupational therapy to regain her strength, movement, and independence. Her inpatient rehabilitation is expected to last another 4–8 weeks, followed by many more months of outpatient therapy once she returns home.