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Teen's Hawaiian trip ends in spinal cord injury
29 Aug
Summary
- 18-year-old Brayden Serrano suffered a severe spinal cord injury in Hawaii.
- The injury occurred when he dove headfirst into a hotel pool.
- He is now partially paralyzed in his arms and fully paralyzed in his legs.
A Hawaiian vacation turned into a devastating ordeal for 18-year-old Brayden Serrano, a recent high school graduate from California. During a trip to Maui, Serrano suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury after diving headfirst into a hotel pool.
The accident left him unable to move his limbs. Doctors diagnosed him with severe damage to his C5 and C6 neck vertebrae, requiring surgeons to remove and replace one vertebra with a cage and perform a spinal fusion.
Brayden is currently experiencing partial paralysis in his arms and complete paralysis in his legs. While he sustained no brain damage and remains able to speak, he faces an extensive rehabilitation process. He is expected to be transported back to Southern California by air ambulance to begin his recovery, which will include significant medical expenses.
This life-changing injury has altered Serrano's immediate future, as he was preparing to enlist in the Army and train as a drone specialist. His family has launched a GoFundMe to support his medical treatment and rehabilitation costs.
