Updates: (11/18/2025)

Today I am so excited to share the most positive and uplifting news — Eli is awake!!

This morning, the doctors began the long process of extubating him and slowly lowering his sedation. It took several hours, mostly because it was difficult to keep him calm and still as the sedation wore off. The more awake he became, the more discomfort he felt.

After about four hours, the breathing tube was finally removed, and he is now fully breathing on his own. He’s still getting a small amount of oxygen for support, but nothing significant.

As soon as he was extubated, he started talking right away. He’s been speaking with my parents, asking what happened, how long he’s been asleep, and trying to piece everything together.

His eye movements are still a bit off. When asked to look in certain directions or follow visual instructions, he isn’t always able to. This is something they’ll continue to monitor closely.

He has mentioned many times that his neck really hurts. As strange as it sounds, this is actually a very encouraging sign. It means his brain is recognizing and communicating the pain from his neck injury. The doctors said they needed him awake so he could help pinpoint exactly where he’s feeling discomfort, so the fact that he can already do that is great.

The strength in one of his hands is definitely reduced, so that will also need to be monitored in the coming days.

Right now, the goal is to keep him as calm and comfortable as possible. He’s struggling with the pain and also with the instinct to move around, which is tough for him and for everyone watching.

But overall, today has been a massive win. We are beyond thrilled that he is awake and off the respirator.

More to come tomorrow. ❤️