Despite enduring a traumatic experience that would have broken most adults, Mathias continues to be a beacon of positivity and strength.

In June 2022, 14-year-old Mathias Uribe and his family had firmly settled into their home in Gallatin after moving from Miami.  Mathias was thriving at his new school, Liberty Creek, and had made many friends after joining the track and field and cross-country teams. He enjoyed school, was an exemplary student, and seemed to fully embrace the daily life of a young teenager.

In June, however, Mathias became ill, exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

Mathias visited a doctor’s office twice, and by June 30, it was clear that his condition was not improving, prompting a visit to a local emergency room. There, he suffered cardiac arrest where he was taken by Life Flight to a local hospital and a subsequent airlift to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Once at Vanderbilt, Mathias was revived and placed on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), commonly referred to as “extracorporeal life support.” Essentially, Mathias was placed in a machine providing him with the support necessary for ensuring that the blood is moving through the body and keeping oxygen and carbon dioxide in balance.

Mathias was soon diagnosed with Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS), an extremely serious bacterial infection that can lead to low blood pressure, multiple organ failure, and additional complications.

Although ECMO treatment necessary to save Mathias’ life, deprivation of oxygen to the bloodstream had damaged his extremities to the extent that on Friday, July 21, the difficult decision was made to amputate Mathias’ left leg above the knee. During the scheduled surgery on July 25, Mathias’ medical team made an even more heartbreaking decision to remove his right leg below the knee as well. A few days later, on August 1 it was determined that Mathias’ extremities had suffered even greater damage, and both of his hands were amputated at the wrist.

Currently, Mathias remains in the ICU, with months of recovery and rehabilitation ahead of him. He will undergo multiple procedures related to amputation prior to leaving the hospital and will remain in the ICU until it can be assured that he has recovered enough to move to the next steps in his recovery. Despite setbacks, including a fungal infection caused by the antibiotics necessary to help him heal, Mathias continues to grow stronger, and his physical strength is only outmatched by his mental fortitude, which he unfailingly displays.

Throughout their ordeal, Mathias’ parents, Edgar and Catalina Uribe, as well as the entire Uribe family, have continued to express their gratitude to the community that has wrapped their arms around them. According to Mathias’ aunt, Jimena Hibbard, “The fact that Mathias’ friends are holding prayer nights and they showed up to pray for him in the first few days at the hospital, and the fact that the entire community is chipping in through fundraisers and the GoFundMe to collect funds for his treatment…we feel extremely blessed and we really do feel the love.”

Family members describe him as a caretaker, and marvel at the fact that he remains most concerned about those around him, despite what he’s endured. “He's worried about his friends and family and making sure that they’re okay. He understands that what he's going through is also affecting them, so he's more concerned about them than he is about himself.”

According to Jimena, Mathias’ selflessness is on brand with who he has always been, “He’s always been a person who wants to make a difference. Even now, he’s thinking ahead about how he can use this experience to help others.”

Although he may not be aware of it, Mathias is already impacting those around him. Jimena describes, “He's been teaching us so much about what we have to be grateful for. The way that I look at it is that I have nothing to complain about if this little boy is able to do everything he's doing right now. My problems, or what I perceive are problems, are nothing compared to what he’s going through.”

Instead of focusing on all that he has lost, Mathias is looking towards the future. He aspires to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is already asking when he’ll be able to be fitted for a prosthesis and leave the hospital. According to Jimena, “One of the doctors told him, ‘For you, it's going to be a while, but you're welcome to prove me wrong.’ Mathias replied, ‘Ok. I’m going to prove you wrong.’”

Mathias, we believe you will.

Ways to Help

 The Uribe family considers Mathias’ survival a miracle, and they understand that there is a very long road ahead. They would also like the community to know that they are eternally grateful for the ways it has come together to support them. As Mathias progresses in his recovery, they welcome all prayers and well-wishes, and there are several ways to help:

Correspondence:

Attention: Mathias Uribe

2200 Children’s Way

Nashville, TN 37232

Email: miracleformathias@gmail.com

‍Donate:‍

GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/miracleformathias?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&fbclid=IwAR3RUtcVnUs5aAhROBPX6R6oiNqo2iarpyX3PvAYOpn8ut7uUiKO3pduBOU_aem_AWsbSOHocV9kvhYyPM86L_dkamf9rm8Ytdw67ESxHGQ3EPnO0C-Y6lmajmcyM-3tJcY&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Fundraising:

If you are a business, and would like to host a fundraiser or benefit, please contact miracleformathias@gmail.com

Information:

The Uribe family requests that anyone with information regarding companies or individuals who may be able to provide assistance with the following reach out:

Prosthetics

Home Modifications

Wheelchair Accessible Cars

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