The family will tell you that from a very young age, Braden Wilson, a sophomore at Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley, dedicated to theater, video production, and chorus, knew what it meant to be kind.
His aunt, Heather Brassil, described him as “just a good sweet, genuine boy.”
Braden was diagnosed with COVID-19 just two weeks ago.
“He started having organ failure,” Brassil said in an interview with ABC7, adding that his nephew had been cared for throughout the pandemic.
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It wasn’t until Braden had complications due to unrelated surgery that he ended up coming in and out of hospitals, and finally tested positive for the virus.
A few days after being taken to Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, Braden died last week.
Her family was told the cause was multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children or MIS-C, a rare pediatric complication derived from COVID-19.
“It’s very shocking to see how he decided to take it,” Brassil said.
Braden was an only child. In addition to the heartbreaking loss, her mother is also recovering from COVID-19.
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“He’s not doing very well emotionally,” Brassil said, “and that’s why I’m talking to you. I wouldn’t be able to stay calm.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been fewer than 17,000 cases of MIS-C nationwide and only 26 have resulted in death.
Still, Braden’s aunt wants people to know it can happen to anyone.
“It’s very real. It should make people stop and think,” he said, “to take others into account, although it can be an inconvenience to follow safety practices.
“But if it can help save someone’s life, I think it’s worth it.”
The family has created a GoFundMe account for Braden’s memorial service and medical expenses. To help, visit www.gofundme.com/f/braden-wilson-memorial-services.
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