Mom gets court order to keep son alive on life support

FOX 2 - Bobby Reyes has been at CS Mott Hospital on life support for a week and a day. Now thanks to a ruling in court, the 14-year-old's mother has time to look for a new facility to continue his treatment.

"I'm living and breathing for him right now," said Sarah Jones. "I have to be my son's voice while he doesn't have one."

Reyes was playing video games at home on Saturday, Sept. 21 when he was overcome by an asthma attack. 

"He just told me, 'Mom I feel like I can't breathe.' When he told me to call 911, I knew it was serious," Jones said.

While waiting for help to arrive, the situation became dire. 

"I looked over at him and he fell," Jones said. "That's when his heart stopped. And I started performing CPR."

He was flown to CS Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor and put on life support. Two days later, his mom was informed Bobby had no brain function and they had been instructed to take him off life support. 

"If my son goes while he is hooked up to this machine, I will accept it," she said. "But I will never unplug my son."

She refused to take him off life support and asked for help. 

"Once we said we were getting lawyers, they backed off," she said.

Jones, along with her lawyers asked a judge for a temporary restraining order - buying time to find an alternative solution. 

"It was approved," she said. "Now (they) have to give us time to get him to another facility."

A hospital spokesperson said they empathize with the family's emotional process and issued this statement: 

"Michigan Medicine follows the state of Michigan law on determination of death and conducts extensive testing before determining there is brain death due to the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain.

"Our team of highly experienced and specialized nurses, doctors and other health professionals, exhaust every available option to help patients who are critically ill.

"If another facility provides technology or services not available at Michigan Medicine - and the patient's family chooses to go elsewhere - our team will facilitate a transfer."
  
The family is looking for a facility that can take care of Bobby's needs and one that they can afford. To help in the effort, the family has set up a GoFundMe page.

According to Bobby's mother, there is some good news. His heart is beating on its own and the breathing machine has been reduced. She says he is responding to her touch - all of which helps her continue her fight.