Raiden’s Journey: A Mother’s Hope, A Team’s Compassion

When Raiden was only three months old, his life—and the lives of his parents—took an unexpected turn. For most families, the first months with a newborn are filled with sleepless nights, tiny milestones, and the joy of discovering new smiles and sounds. For Emily, Raiden’s mother, those months also became a time of deep fear and uncertainty.

Emily is not only a mother but also a teammate at Atrium Health Levine Children’s, where she has long been part of a community dedicated to healing children and supporting families. She had always known the hospital as a place of expertise, compassion, and hope. But in July 2023, she came to see it through entirely different eyes—the eyes of a terrified parent.

A Frightening Beginning

It started suddenly. Raiden was only three months old when Emily noticed something unusual. His body stiffened in a way that seemed unnatural, his tiny limbs trembling in short bursts that lasted just seconds. To any parent, it would have been frightening. To Emily, who had seen children arrive at the hospital with seizures before, it was overwhelming.

She rushed him to Levine Children’s Hospital, her heart pounding with fear that her baby might be having seizures. The emergency team responded swiftly, running initial tests to check Raiden’s brain activity and overall condition. The results, to Emily’s relief, came back clear. For a moment, hope returned. Maybe it had been nothing. Maybe it was just one of those strange episodes infants sometimes outgrow.

But as the days passed, Raiden continued to display symptoms that Emily couldn’t ignore. His movements were inconsistent, his eyes sometimes fixed in ways that worried her, and she sensed something deeper was happening. A mother’s intuition is powerful, and Emily knew she couldn’t rest until she had real answers.

The Search for Answers

Emily turned to a trusted colleague and specialist: Dr. Fernandes, a neurologist at the Levine Children’s Specialty Center. With compassion and calm, Dr. Fernandes listened carefully to Emily’s concerns and observed Raiden. It became clear that further testing would be necessary to rule out seizures or other neurological conditions.

Raiden was referred to Levine Children’s Jeff Gordon Children’s Center, where he underwent a 24-hour video EEG. For Emily and her family, the wait during that testing was almost unbearable. Every beep of the machine, every movement of her son’s body felt magnified. As she sat beside his hospital bed, watching the monitors, she prayed that the results would bring clarity—and relief.

Comfort in Care

While the clinical process was underway, Emily experienced something she had never fully appreciated before: the unique way the hospital’s care teams surround not only the patient but also the family.

The nurses were more than just medical professionals—they became guides and emotional anchors. They explained each step in detail, answered Emily’s questions, and offered comfort in the small but important ways: a reassuring smile, a hand on her shoulder, a gentle word when she felt tears rising.

Child life specialists also stepped in to make the experience less frightening for Raiden. Though he was too little to understand what was happening, their thoughtful care—soft toys, soothing voices, and playful interactions—helped create an atmosphere that felt more like home than a sterile medical environment.

For Emily, who had always valued her role as a teammate at Levine Children’s, this was a revelation. She had seen colleagues go above and beyond for families countless times. But now, as a mother on the receiving end of that compassion, she felt its power in a new and profound way.

A Moment of Relief

When the EEG results finally came back, Emily could breathe again. The 24-hour test showed no evidence of seizure activity. Relief washed over her in waves. While Raiden’s neurological symptoms remained unexplained, at least the terrifying possibility of epilepsy was ruled out. It was a huge step forward.

Raiden was discharged from the hospital, but Emily left with something even more valuable than medical results: the assurance that she was not alone in this journey. She knew that whenever Raiden needed care, there would be an entire team ready to stand with her, fight for him, and love him as if he were their own.

Growing, Smiling, Thriving

Now, Raiden is 20 months old. His bright smile fills every room he enters, and his personality shines through in every interaction. He has become the heart of his family’s joy, a little boy with resilience beyond his years.

He still has follow-up appointments, and Emily remains vigilant about his development. There are days when she feels the worry creep back in—when he seems overly tired, or when a small movement reminds her of those early days. But there is also a new foundation of trust and hope. She knows she has the unwavering support of the Levine Children’s team, who continue to walk this journey with her.

For Emily, the dual perspective of being both a teammate and a mother has transformed her understanding of her work. She has always known that compassionate care is at the core of what they do. But now she carries a deeper appreciation: it is not just about medicine, but about humanity. It is about holding a parent’s hand in their darkest hour, explaining complicated procedures in simple words, and treating every child as if they were your own.

A Deeper Mission

Looking back, Emily reflects on how much this experience has changed her. She has always been proud to serve families through her role at Atrium Health Levine Children’s. But now, when she sees a parent walk through the hospital doors with fear in their eyes, she understands more deeply than ever before what they are feeling.

She knows the weight of waiting for test results, the exhaustion of sleepless nights at the bedside, the helplessness of watching your child undergo procedures you wish you could take on yourself. She knows the relief of a kind word, the comfort of a nurse’s patience, the reassurance of a doctor’s calm expertise.

And she knows the importance of never giving up hope.

Lighting the Way

Raiden’s journey is still unfolding, but his story is already one of resilience, love, and the power of compassionate care. At just 20 months old, he has taught his family—and everyone who knows him—that even the smallest children can light up the world with courage.

For Emily, being both his mother and a teammate at Levine Children’s has been a profound gift. She has seen the hospital from both sides, and her gratitude for the care team is immeasurable. They not only cared for Raiden’s health but also for her heart as a mother.

“Compassion isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we live,” Emily says. “And when you experience it firsthand, you realize it makes all the difference.”

Raiden’s bright smile is living proof of that difference. His story reminds us all that behind every chart, every monitor, and every diagnosis is a child—a child who deserves to be seen, loved, and given every chance to thrive.