Los Angeles defensive tackle Brandon Mebane has announced the passing of his newborn daughter. Makenna Mebane, who was under two months old, died January 3 after being born with chromosomal abnormalities and experiencing a number of medical complications arising from premature birth.
Born with a heart defect, Makenna went on to develop a severe intestine infection called Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), which can result in the wasting away of the bowel and even septicemia. Despite fighting with everything she had, the tiny girl went to be with Jesus last week.
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Obviously, it is a devastating time for the couple, who have another daughter, Mahailey. But through the heartbreak, they are holding firm to the hope found in the Lord.
“I’m still thankful, and I thank God every day,’ Mebane said, as reported by ESPN. “I still pray. We’re taking it one day at a time.”
The Chargers star explained that his baby daughter “just kept having bleeding from her stomach,” and then “they tried to feed her” but “it wasn’t good for her liver.”
Mebane’s wife, Amena, posted to Instagram, explaining the whole heartbreaking situation in excruciating detail.
“After about 1.5 weeks of life, Makenna got a severe intestine infection called Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC),” she wrote. “It is the leading cause of death amongst premature babies. She coded and recovered, she got sepsis from the gut bacteria getting into her bloodstream and she kept fighting, she got so swollen and kept fighting, she had abdominal surgery and managed to survive that despite that it was a risky surgery with all of her swelling.”
Amena noted that her little baby girl “came out of surgery with her fist balled and raised in the air.”
“She was such a little fighter,” she added. “But, after a while the complications from the infection took a toll on her body and her organs.”
Initially, it appeared that the little one would require heart surgery. But that was quickly ruled out. “In fact, her heart was the only thing unaffected by NEC,” Mebane noted.
After fighting hard for days, it was becoming increasingly clear that Makenna was not going to survive, and that she had to be let go by her parents.
“When her other organs started to give out, her heart kept pumping and even continued to pump after she took her last breath. I told my little warrior girl that she didn’t have to fight anymore. We decided to remove all her ivs, love on her all day and then remove her ventilator,” Amena explained.
“She passed peacefully in mommy and daddy’s arms yesterday at 10:30pm. I will take some time away as we process this and prepare to lay our beautiful, sweet baby to rest. If I don’t respond to a text or call, know that I have received it and just need some time. I’m going to miss her holding my finger, and snuggling with me. She has changed our lives in ways we never expected and we will always remember, love and honor her. RIP Makenna Niara Mebane 11/12/18- 1/3/19.”
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Brandon has since told the LA Times that he intends on playing in a divisional round game against the New England Patriots Sunday. “You know, it’s been a tough year, period, but she would want me to be here doing my job,” Mebane told the outlet. “No matter where I am, I still think about her. I’m just happy I’m still able to play this game.”
Words are hard to come by with the passing of Brandon Mebane’s infant daughter, Makenna.
We are heartbroken.
Please join us in keeping Brandon, and his family, in your thoughts and prayers.
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) January 9, 2019
Do pray for the Mebane family at this heartbreaking time.