TAYLOR, Mich (WXYZ) — Ray Jr. brings sunshine to just about everyone he meets. The 53-year-old from Gibraltar, who lives with cerebral palsy and autism, has the mental age of about 6, according to his mother, Debbie Carson.
Now, he’s fighting one of the toughest health battles of his life.
“He’s just been a joy in our lives,” Carson said. “But he fights all his life through different health problems, heart problems, lung problems, and he usually pulls through... But right now, he’s having it a little bit rough.”
Ray has been on oxygen for about six years, but a recent bout of pneumonia landed him in Corewell Health Taylor Hospital for several weeks. His oxygen levels have dropped dangerously low, and doctors are unsure if he’ll be able to return to his baseline.
His family is holding on to hope, and so is the community.
“Of course, we want to keep him as long as we can,” said Ray’s sister, Sherrie Melendez. “Eventually, it could be weeks, months, hopefully years though.”
To show support, members of the local group "Downriver Rocks!" have created a “rock train," a growing trail of painted stones, outside the hospital entrance.
Ray and his mother have spent years painting, hiding, and finding colorful rocks with the group.
“Every day he would get up on nice days and say, ‘Mom, can we go put out rocks?’” Debbie said.
Now, dozens of them line the garden outside the hospital, forming a makeshift tribute full of his favorite things.
VIDEO: Ray Jr. shares message about community support and rock train
Debbie visits the rocks daily and brings pictures of them to Ray.
“When I go home, can I take all those rocks with me?” he recently asked his mom from his hospital bed.
“I said, ‘Sure,’” she recalled. “But if he doesn’t go home, we’re taking them to the funeral home and we’re going to recreate it outside there.”
For now, the rock train continues to grow, about 88 stones and counting, each one a small symbol of hope for Ray’s recovery.
If you’d like to support Ray Jr., you’re welcome to add a painted rock to the train outside Corewell Health Taylor Hospital.
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