Teenager Experiences Unexpected Organ Failure

Nadine recalls, “I hugged him. I kissed him, and I said, ‘Hayden, I love you.’ And they wheeled him away. WHEW!!!! I was scared. Honestly, I was scared because that's my baby.”

It had been less than 24 hours since Nadine Smith brought her 18-year-old son Hayden to the ER with a headache, fatigue, and a 104-degree temperature. After testing negative for covid he was sent home. By the next morning he had diarrhea and was vomiting. Panicked, Nadine rushed him to Houston Methodist Hospital where he was taken immediately to the ICU. Overseeing his case was pulmonary specialist Dr. Mir Alikhan.  

Dr. Alikhan shares, “Our initial suspicion was that there was some type of sepsis or septic shock taking place. He had evidence of pneumonia involving an infection in his lungs. He had signs of liver dysfunction as well as kidney dysfunction that were causing problems and also his blood pressure was very severely low. So, we were concerned about his heart function as well.”

As hospital staff ran tests trying to pinpoint a diagnosis, Nadine went home where she waited and prayed.

Nadine shares, “I said, ‘God you know I trust you. Hayden doesn't belong to me; he belongs to you. I believe that Hayden has a destiny and you've brought him for a purpose, and it's not fulfilled as yet. But if you choose to take Hayden, you're still God and I still trust you.’”

Moments later, a nurse called. It wasn’t sepsis, or covid, which Hayden had recovered from a few weeks earlier. In fact, doctors weren’t sure what was attacking his body. Hayden’s father, Kes, tried to remain hopeful, as he spoke with his son on the phone.

Kes says, “They’re going to figure out what has happened to you. So just hang in there just be strong and hopefully you'll be home in a couple of days. The nurse took the phone from him and was speaking to me, and she said that, ‘Dad, your son is really ill. He does not look good.’ I was devastated on the inside.”

Later that night they learned just how critical their son was. Hayden’s liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart were failing, and the young man had to be put into a medically induced coma and placed on a ventilator.

Dr. Alikhan shares, “In someone like Hayden's case with four organ systems deteriorating, the risk of mortality from something like that is in excess of 60% and sometimes with some of his numbers, you could believe in excess of 80% mortality.”

Kes says, “This was not something that I was expecting. I just lost it as a father. I just started bawling. I just started crying.”

Still, Nadine and Kes found the strength to believe God for a miracle.

Kes shares, “I start praying, start taking authority. ‘God, you are the only one who can heal him. This is up to you now. It's out of the doctor's hands.’”

Nadine says, “"God make it like it never happened. ‘I want what I've read in the Bible. I said I want a miracle. I want something supernatural for Hayden.’”

The only option now was to put Hayden on an advanced life support machine known as ECMO, that did the work for Hayden’s heart and lungs. Meanwhile, Kes and Nadine’s prayers became more fervent, and they weren’t alone.

Kes recalls, “People in London were praying for him. People in Africa was praying for him. My family in Florida was praying for him.”

Nadine shares, “We're not focused on what's happening, we were focused on what God can do.”

Then, two days later, the impossible. Hayden’s lungs, liver, kidneys, and heart started working on their own.

Nadine says, “The doctor said, ‘I don't understand this. He said, “We took him to get an MRI of his heart, and his heart was perfect.’ I said, "That's-that's Jesus. (LAUGHS) That's a miracle.’”

Hayden was soon brought out of his coma and taken off all life support.

Kes says, “It was more than words could express.”

Nadine recalls, “I ran in the room, and I just hugged him. I was like, ‘Hayden, God is good. You are a miracle.’”

Hayden shares, “It was really a surreal experience for me because the way I thought about it was I just as easily could have been another statistic of someone who had died, you know, but instead God gave me this chance to be you know a testimony instead.”

Hayden made a full recovery in a matter of weeks with no residual effects. Doctors would later conclude that Hayden had likely suffered a cardiac injury brought on by severe inflammation from his previous bout with covid.

Dr. Alikhan shares, “It truly can be considered a miracle because here was a person who came with such an acute and severe illness which the numbers and all the medical tests and diagnostics would indicate was at a very high chance of dying and with time and with prayer and with healing, he recovered.”

The Smith family has written a book about their journey that shares that Hayden’s recovery isn’t just a miracle, it’s evidence of a God who still cares and still works wonders.

Hayden says, “This whole situation has given me a new perspective on both the sovereignty of God and the goodness of God. He’d seen this coming, but He still allowed me to go through it, and He still worked it out for the good.”

Kes shares, “I honestly believe that my son was saved through prayers. I just thank Him for hearing and answering our prayers for our son.”

Nadine says, “I'm in awe of what God has done. I'm in awe to see this miracle walking, breathing, running, talking. God still does miracles. God still heals. And prayer still works.”