When she was 5 years old, Payton was running around at school when she slipped and fell, hitting her head on the sidewalk. She had some blood near her ear, and her parents thought she might need stitches, so they took her to the local urgent care.
Payton never lost consciousness, so her parents didn’t immediately realize the full extent of her injuries. “We had no idea what was going on in her brain,” says her mom, Brandy. After diagnostic scans at urgent care, they learned she had a skull fracture and a brain bleed.
She was transferred to Phoenix Children’s, where she underwent brain surgery. She was in the hospital for 29 days, including in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where she spent 12 days in a coma, and in inpatient rehab to relearn motor skills.
Payton’s family had just moved to Arizona from Illinois, and they didn’t have a support system here yet. “Being able to come [to Phoenix Children’s] and get as much care and support as we did was amazing,” Brandy says.
“Payton’s care team was incredible,” she adds. “They continually went above and beyond to help her and us navigate the scariest moments of our lives.”
Payton’s family spent their first Easter in Arizona at Phoenix Children’s, and the care team did a great job making Payton and her two older brothers feel special. All three kids received presents and got to visit the Child Life Zone, a 3,800-square-foot play area that is funded entirely by donations. It wasn’t just about Payton; it was about the whole family and “making all of us feel seen,” says Brandy.
Her care team learned that Payton loved music and art, so they arranged for her to participate in art and music therapy as part of her rehab. This helped Payton regain some motor skills in a fun way that was motivating for her, thanks to the philanthropically funded Therapeutic Arts Program.
Traumatic brain injury is a lifelong condition, and her family never knows how Payton is going to react to certain situations or what her cognitive abilities will be as she grows and develops. This has made their family more flexible, Brandy says. She describes Payton, now 10 years old, as “an energetic, compassionate, funny young girl” who loves people and having fun.
Payton's Interests
Drawing
Singing
Dancing
Soccer
STEM club
Church activities
- “Payton’s care team was incredible. They continually went above and beyond to help her and us navigate the scariest moments of our lives.”BrandyPayton's mom
Phoenix Children’s Patient Ambassadors are a valiant bunch—they’ve shown immense strength amidst great setbacks. They’re also athletes, intellectuals, artists and the best siblings.
Even though their lives are full of medical appointments, they want to help other patients. Each ambassador has created a fundraising page to support Phoenix Children’s. Consider donating to Payton's fund today.
