Max is from Columbia. He is 11.
Diagnosis: Micro-premie; Currently facing chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dyplasia).
Max was born 15 weeks early, 25wks and 2 days at birth, weighing 1lb 10oz. Mom didn’t get to hold him for the first time until the one month mark. Even that was a big production due to all the lines and machines, especially as he was also on a JET ventilator, meaning an extra line. It took 4 people to pull off this feat.He weighed just 2 lbs at that time. He was the size of a newborn kitten. It finally felt like we were parents. He was intubated over 2 months, spending 97 days in the NICU.
Max is the 2026 CMN Champion Child for MU Health Care’s Children’s Hospital!
He loves basketball, football (playing real life and on his Xbox with 2K and Madden), following/going to Mizzou sports, following all NFL (especially the Chiefs), being a food snob (tried Christian Petroni’s restaurant Ella’s in Nashville), and traveling (going on cruise over spring break—D.R., St. Thomas, Tortola, Bahamas).
In the past year, he got 2nd place in his fantasy football team (youngest by at least 10 years to everyone else), went to the Mizzou vs KU basketball game, and experienced a MIZZOU win at the Music City Bowl in Nashville! He also celebrated the opening of the new Children’s Hospital. Many of “Max’s people” came together to tell stories and admire the boy they helped keep alive.
His parents are Mark and Alayna. He’s a Respiratory Therapist. She’s an RN.