Joshua's Story

 Joshua started out his journey in life by being abandoned by his biological parents and entering foster care. That is how he was placed with Mike and Pamela at 20 months old. Joshua was a shy kiddo who struggled to talk. He worked to overcome speech impediment and reading issues. Joshua and his biological sister, Michaela were officially adopted into the Foster Family in November 2013. Joshua loved to watch his dad race and loved to hear stories of his PawPaw Larry racing. Joshua began racing with SMQMA at 5 years old. He raced for two years as a rookie, winning a Rookie Championship. He grew so much racing, becoming competitive while still compassionate, learning self-confidence, pride, resilience, teamwork, hard work, and much more. He loved racing and baseball. On the first day of 2nd grade, Joshua came home from baseball practice and had a massive seizure. Joshua was rushed to meet an ambulance where they immediately administered an I/O line after assessing him. The seizure stopped, but he remained unconscious. They later transferred him to Mercy Pediatric Neurology in the PICU. They did further testing including a brain biopsy, where they found inflammation in the brain. They diagnosed him with ADEM and gave him large amounts of prednisone to treat it. This caused him to gain weight immediately, mood swings, and other side effects. He was released to race and was racing a USAC regional at Twister Alley in September 2017 when his parents noticed the focal seizure-like activity and he lost the function of his left hand and foot.  Joshua was taken to the ER, where they tried to continue the same treatment, but a second opinion was sought. He was referred to St. Louis Children's Hospital. After further testing, imaging, and consulting with nationwide specialty hospitals they formally diagnosed him with Cerebral Vasculitis. He had to begin Chemotherapy to treat it and put it into remission. He received his first treatment in January 2018. Following the treatment Joshua got sick and it triggered another massive seizure. He was rushed to meet the ambulance again. This time they just pushed meds up his nose that continued to pour back out. They put an oxygen mask on him, but he was detating and his mother asked to bag him and continued to bag him till they reached the hospital. At the hospital, he was finally given an I/O line and the seizure stopped. At this time he had seized for 50 minutes. After imaging, they found he had suffered a hypoxic brain injury in the upper cortex of his brain. He was intubated and remained unconscious for many days in the Mercy PICU. He was life-flighted to St. Louis Children's Hospital where they worked to stabilize him and create a plan for care. Joshua no longer walks or talks. He requires 24-hour care. He has a feeding tube for food and medication. He has a baclofen pump internally to administer baclofen for his spasms and tension. He is growing like a normal boy, but aside from a miracle from God will never have a normal life again. When Joshua got sick he was asked, if he couldn't race anymore would he want to park his car or give it to a friend to race, immediately he said to give it to a friend. This is where the idea of One9 Motorsports came from. Each year we raise money to build or buy a quarter midget to give away to a local child to help build the sport that gave Joshua so much. This past year his younger sister decided to race the #19 in her brother's honor and got behind the wheel of her blue rookie. She will begin her year in a senior Honda and 160 car this year. His youngest adopted sister, Brooklynn will begin her rookie year this year.