ST. GEORGE — A child who’s been through the unthinkable is showing others that there’s always a reason to smile, no matter what life hands you.
“It’s so hard to put into words — him in general,” Stacy Mitchell said about her son Corbin Kirkham. “He just changes the life of everybody that he meets.”
As the mother of Corbin, now 15 years old, Mitchell called him a “walking miracle” and said complications began early on in her pregnancy, including an initial pre-birth diagnosis of Down syndrome. She was only 23 weeks and five days along when she gave birth to her son, who came into the world weighing 1 pound and 7 ounces.
“They gave us a less than 12% chance of survival and that time,” Mitchell said. “The second day he was alive they told us to say our goodbyes. So now, every day that he lives is a bonus, a gift. You look at life a lot differently.”
At the time, Corbin was the youngest child the hospital had cared for. Due to his premature birth, he experienced severe brain bleeds, which doctors said would put him in a catatonic state for the rest of his life. Mitchell was told her son would never be able to walk or talk.
Corbin’s heart fought so hard to pump oxygen to the rest of his body that Mitchell said it became enlarged and almost ruptured. He also developed chronic lung disease. He was transported by Life Flight several times for various health emergencies. Mitchell said as a mother, she had more “death meetings” with doctors than anything else.
“I finally said, ‘You know how I’m going to know if he makes it or not? He’s going to die. So how about you quit constantly telling me that he’s going to die because I can’t even enjoy him being here because I’m so worried about him not being here,’” Mitchell said.
Because her son was intubated at a young age, Mitchell said he developed oral aversion, which created a trauma response when anything got near his mouth, making eating impossible. At 6 months old, he had a Gastrostomy tube — also called a G–tube — put in to allow him to receive nutrients.
After a year and a half in the hospital, Corbin was released from the hospital. Had she listened to doctors, Mitchell said she would’ve never pushed her son to walk or do anything else he has been able to accomplish since.
Corbin has cerebral palsy and heart and lung issues and is legally blind. He does not have Down syndrome as the doctors predicted, Mitchell said. He recently began eating baby food by mouth – something they said he would never be able to do.
“This almost sounds like it’s so tragic,” Mitchell said about their story. “But honestly, it’s been just like the million-dollar experience that you wouldn’t pay a penny for. It was horrible. But man, the friendships. There are just a lot of incredible people out there that we’ve bumped into because of this.”
Spending most of Corbin’s life as a single parent, Mitchell later married into a family with two children – Estella and Duke Bracken, and together, she said the blended family has been magic.
Corbin’s best friend and sister Estella, 10, said she loves spending time with him, especially jumping on beanbags together and reading him bedtime stories.
“It’s been amazing,” Estella said. “He is so awesome. When he walks into a room, it just lights up. We call him the ‘Enterprise Tornado’ because everyone knows him. He’s just everybody’s best friend.”
Just over a year ago, Corbin had femur rotation surgery, which included his legs being cut in half and rotated. Since Corbin loves getting mail, Mitchell asked people on social media to send letters for them to read during his recovery. The outpouring of love and support they received was more than they could’ve ever imagined, she said. Packages with toys, letters and other gifts came from all over the country, from Hawaii to Minnesota.
In total, Corbin has had six leg surgeries to strengthen his muscles from cerebral palsy and has relearned to walk multiple times. He’s had many other surgeries including nasogastric surgery, tracheostomy surgery and retinopathy of prematurity surgery.
“With everything he’s been through, he should be the most bitter, horrible kid,” Mitchell said. “But he’s so happy. And when I say that I think he’s perfect, he literally is. He’s never got mad, doesn’t fight, he’s so happy all the time and he’s been through so much pain and suffering. I just think we can learn so much from people that have had challenges.”
Mitchell said her son is like a parrot and loves to repeat things, including cuss words. In their hometown of Enterprise, his teachers and the entire town adore him. He loves to do anything that gives him attention and is involved in special needs soccer and softball.
While many people worry about saying the wrong thing when it comes to a special needs child, Mitchell said she loves when little kids ask her openly what’s wrong with her son.
“They’re literally saying what every adult is thinking,” she said. “Just ask. Ask about someone’s special needs, kiddo. To me, they’re just people, the coolest people once you get to know them. Just get to know them. Saying the wrong thing to me is better than saying nothing at all.”
Everywhere Kirkham has been in life, he’s left an impression. Nurses from 14 years ago still remember him and continue to be amazed. Because on paper, he should be dead.
“Getting to know someone with special needs is the closest you’ll get to heaven while still on earth,” Mitchell said. “Corbin has had to fight for every breath, every step and everything that we take for granted. They talk about when you die you’re going to be perfect, but he’s already perfect.”
For questions, support or to follow Corbin’s story, send Stacy Mitchell a friend request on Facebook.
Photo Gallery
Corbin Kirkham is seen in the NICU after he is born weighing one pound and seven ounces, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham is seen in the NICU after he is born weighing one pound and seven ounces, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham is seen in the NICU after he is born weighing one pound and seven ounces, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham is treated in the NICU after a premature birth, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham spends over a year in the hospital after a premature birth, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham stands on his own despite doctor's diagnosis, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham is treated for multiple health issues after his premature birth, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham is monitored by doctors, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham takes a photo with his mom Stacy Mitchell and two siblings Estella and Duke Bracken, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham takes a photo with his siblings Estella and Duke Bracken, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham takes a photo with his siblings Estella and Duke Bracken, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham has a moment with his best friend and sister Estella Bracken, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham takes a photo with his siblings Estella and Duke Bracken, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham takes a photo with his siblings Estella and Duke Bracken, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham smiles proudly at an outdoor event, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham participates in special needs sports, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham participates in special needs sports, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham participates in special needs sports, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Corbin Kirkham takes a photo with his mom Stacy Mitchell, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Stacy Mitchell, St. George News
Stacy Mitchell, Corbin Kirkham and sister Estella Bracken take a photo together in St. George, Utah on Feb. 22, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.