Told by his mother…
On Monday, October 30th, my 8-year-old son, Jaxton Lee Brewer, was seen at an urgent care clinic for a stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat that had started a couple of days earlier. By the time of his appointment, Jaxton said he felt better than the day before and was even laughing and playing with his older brother in the waiting room.
The doctor noted that his lungs sounded clear but he had nasal drainage and a sore throat. A rapid test came back positive for strep throat, so an antibiotic was prescribed, and a note was written to excuse him from school the next day.
Jaxton stayed home to rest at his dad’s house. He slept much of the day and seemed to be improving, but later, while riding with his dad’s girlfriend to pick up his siblings, he suddenly said he felt too hot and didn’t feel good. By the time they returned home, Jaxton was pale and sweaty. He went to his room to lie down, but about an hour later, his older brother found him unresponsive with blue lips. CPR was started immediately, until paramedics arrived. When first responders reached him, an AED advised “no shock,” and resuscitation efforts continued, but tragically, Jaxton could not be revived. On October 31st, 2023 at 5:03pm my son was pronounced dead. It wasn’t until a few months later that we learned the cause of death : Myocarditis as complications from strep throat, parainfluenza virus 2 and rhino/entero virus.
Jaxton brought so much love and light to anybody who had the honor of knowing him. He was pure joy—smart, funny, and bursting with energy. He loved being outside, whether it was playing football with his friends, fishing with his dad or sneaking in a game of ding-dong-ditch with his brothers. He enjoyed playing Uno, collecting anything “mini,” and finding ways to make people laugh. He truly had a heart of gold and liked doing random acts of kindness, simply because he wanted others to feel happy. That is how Jaxton will always be remembered—by the joy he carried, the kindness he gave so freely, and the love he spread to everyone around him.
By sharing Jaxton’s story, our hope is to honor his life while raising awareness of myocarditis and its potential to appear suddenly, even in children who seem otherwise healthy. If greater awareness can save even one life, then his light will continue to shine in the most meaningful way.
