Judah Strong: Kenosha baby sees community support

KENOSHA, Wis. - A community is rallying around the family of Judah Thompson, a Kenosha baby who stopped breathing in the hours after he was born. Now, he is fast approaching his first birthday, but the road ahead remains a challenging one.

Judah’s parents say doctors gave him only a couple of weeks to live. He’s been in and out of the hospital, but now, at 10-months old, they say their son is still fighting.

"People have really come to us saying, ‘Your story is really amazing,’ and they give us hope," said Alyssa Mazmanian-Thompson, Judah's mother.

When it didn't feel like there was any left, hope for Judah Thompson filled the air on Sunday, June 27.

"I’m not that one to give up, so when they said, ‘There’s nothing we could do,’ I said, ‘I’m going to try everything.'" said Alyssa Mazmanian-Thompson.

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Judah's parents, Alyssa and Joshua, say last August, several hours after Judah was born, he stopped breathing.

"It was almost like, an out-of-body experience when they grab him, and they’re doing CPR and everything slows down," said Joshua Thompson.

Judah was revived but lost so much oxygen doctors said he likely will never walk or talk.

"He had already suffered some major brain damage," said Joshua Thompson.

Now, the family is seeking alternative therapies. A Judah Strong fundraiser was held to support medical expenses and a reliable vehicle to get Judah to and from appointments.

"We’ve had people literally from all over the world reach out to us," said Joshua Thompson.

The Thompsons said they're overcome by the generosity of others; the support helping to keep their family strong.

"If he’s willing to fight, we’re going to do whatever we have to because we see him doing more than what anyone said he would do," said Alyssa Mazmanian-Thompson.

The family has set up a Facebook page to provide updates about Judah and his medical journey.