It’s a scary reality of all the stuff we do: getting really hurt. And Laguna ripper Brayden Belden recently had one of those scary accidents while snowboarding in Oregon with his family. He was airlifted to two different hospitals with a major head injury and is currently in medical induced coma but is expected to make it. Scary on all levels, but we’re hoping our community can rally to make the bills for his helicopter rides (not covered by insurance) manageable so he and his family can focus on getting him on the road to recovery.

Get well soon Brayden, we’re all pulling for you.

Read the story details below or click here to help Brayden and his family get through this. 

Here’s some more information from the family: 

On February 20, 2018 this athletic, vibrant 11-year-old from Laguna Beach, CA suffered a catastrophic head injury while snowboarding with his family at Mt. Bachelor in Oregon.

Brayden was air lifted from the mountain to Bend, with his parents driving in blizzard conditions to meet him at the hospital. When they arrived, they received the news no parent ever wants to hear: the injury was much more serious than initially believed, and their son might only have hours to live.

For the next hour, Brayden’s life hung in the balance as doctors worked to stabilize him so that he might survive a second life flight to Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland, where the right experts and equipment could give him a fighting chance. Brayden defied the odds and was flown to Randall, where he remains in a medically induced coma in the ICU.

Brayden Belden should survive, but it will be a long road back if he makes it.

One of the many obstacles his family faces is the sheer cost of Brayden’s care. The Beldens are looking at over $100k in out-of-pocket expenses for the life flights alone. In addition, Brayden will eventually need to be airlifted to a hospital closer to his home in California, which could double that number. Then there are deductibles, out-of-network-fees, and the cost of food and lodging.

When you add it all up, the end cost to the family will likely exceed the price of the average home in the United States.

The Belden family should be concerned about one thing: getting Brayden well. We’ve created this Go Fund Me page in hopes that they can focus on his care, and not the crushing medical costs they are facing. 

The Belden Family thanks you so much for your support and love. Prayer and positive energy are so powerful and much appreciated! Brayden can take all the love you can share. Knowing he has so much love has helped us, too. We are blessed to be in a community that cares so much.

We’ll use this page to stay in contact and will keep you updated on his progress

Thank you.
The Belden Family & Friends