When Braden West came into this world, the doctors gave his parents the heartbreaking news: he probably wouldn’t make it. Born with Pfeiffer syndrome Type 2—a rare condition that severely affects the skull and brain development—everything seemed stacked against him from the start.
His mom, Cheri, had sensed something was wrong even before he was born. Two weeks prior, she’d learned about the diagnosis, and it hit hard. “He’s kicking in my belly, and I’m just praying for God to take him home,” she shared in an interview back in 2020. The ultrasounds painted a tough picture—no real back to his head, what looked like teeth already there. It all felt overwhelming and scary.
But the moment Braden arrived, Cheri bonded with him instantly. He was her boy, no matter what. Still, the prognosis was grim: many kids with this condition don’t survive birth, and for Braden, they said 18 months at most.
“I just kept praying, ‘God, please let me have him for a little while,’” Cheri recalled.
One photo from right after he was born shows his skull clearly—a distinct clover shape that told the story of how rare and serious things were.
At just a month old, they brought him home from the hospital. He wasn’t thriving, and the doctors knew the end was near. The plan was simple and heartbreaking: let him meet family and friends at home instead of spending his final days in a sterile room.
Yet somehow, Braden kept surprising everyone. With his family’s endless love and support, he started making tiny steps forward. Over the years, he’s had more than 30 surgeries. He got a tracheotomy at only 3 months old. There was even one procedure where the survival odds were just 10%—they signed the DNR papers, said their goodbyes, and waited for the worst. But the doctors came out with good news instead: he pulled through.
His family wasn’t alone in this fight. He formed an incredible bond with his hospice nurse, Michele Eddings Linn. She was there on one of the darkest nights when it looked like he might not make it. “I prayed, ‘Lord, just take him home or make him better,’” she remembered. “No one could bear watching him suffer like that.”
Miraculously, Braden became the first patient Michele ever had who left hospice care alive. That night changed everything.
Years later, their connection is still so strong that when it came time for senior photos, Braden asked his “angel” Michele to take them.
“17 years ago I cried thinking his time was ending, and now I’m crying because he’s graduating high school and his life is just beginning,” she posted on Facebook.
Watching him grow into this strong, determined young man has been emotional for everyone who knew him back then. His mom Cheri said that walking across that graduation stage brought back every fear and tear from those first months. “He wasn’t supposed to do any of this—not hold a pencil, speak, see, hear… and yet here we are.”
To make the day even more unforgettable, his parents arranged something special: Braden got flown in by helicopter right into the middle of a live concert featuring one of his favorite country singers, Cam Thompson. He called the whole day “perfect.”
“I feel pretty good knowing I worked so hard to get here—it wasn’t always easy,” Braden said.
He used a walker until he was five, but through tons of therapy, he learned to walk on his own. These days, he’s part of the Civil Air Patrol unit in Owensboro, Kentucky, and he’s chasing his biggest dream: becoming a firefighter. He joined the Moseleyville Fire Department as a volunteer, and it’s official—he’s living that dream.
His mom says his journey is a powerful reminder for anyone facing impossible odds.
“Don’t ever give up,” she shares through him. “No matter how steep the mountain feels, keep climbing. The view from the top is worth it.”
Braden’s story is all about faith, grit, and refusing to quit. He didn’t just survive—he thrived, earning great grades and showing the world what determination looks like. What an inspiration. Congrats, Braden—here’s to many more incredible chapters ahead.