Jaxon Berry was just 2.5 years old when he had a tragic accident at his home in Bridge City that sent him to Texas Children’s Level 1 trauma center via Life Flight. His mother and father, Meredith and Jon, carried only the clothes on their backs, her purse and a diaper bag they’d been given by a neighbor as they left in an ambulance to meet the helicopter.
Over the next 10 days, Jaxon was in and out of surgery as our Trauma Services team managed his case. His pointer finger on his right hand had to be amputated, and his remaining fingers and hand had to be reconstructed. Then, at a follow-up appointment just a week later, he was immediately readmitted for another 7-day stay to treat an infection.
The Berrys could only watch in agony as their young son was poked over and over again, his providers doing everything they could to stabilize his pain. And all the while, they had only the supplies in that purse and diaper bag to see them through – sparking an idea for turning pain into purpose by helping other parents experiencing similar circumstances.
“I knew not to blame God for this tragic event, but knew there has to be a rainbow after this terrible storm we were in,” said Meredith Berry. “Over and over my heart kept telling me to help others, which brought me to the thought of ‘Jaxon’s Journey Bags.’”
Each Jaxon’s Journey Bag is filled with things Meredith wished she’d had while they were in the hospital: toiletries, snacks, water, puzzles, a blanket, cozy socks and a notebook and pen to write down all the information they’d been given. Three-hundred bags and counting have been delivered so far.
In total, Jaxon has had 17 surgeries, numerous occupational therapy appointments and countless follow-up sessions with his Texas Children’s specialist in just less than 3.5 years. Collecting, filling and distributing the bags is one way to provide the kind of support Meredith needed to walk through the healing process – along with being someone that other parents can talk with, cry with and relate to during such a difficult situation.
“Our storms might be different, but know that with each storm comes a rainbow,” she said. “You will get through this.”
For more on trauma care at Texas Children’s, click here.
