By Laura Farmer
For Stacy and Anthony David, Kennedy Krieger Institute is about more than just medical care. It’s a family that helped their son Alex, 6, smile and recover following a difficult neurosurgery.
Alex was born 14 weeks early. He spent his first four months in the hospital, experiencing a number of complications, including two significant brain bleeds. When Alex was near discharge, his doctors informed Stacy and Anthony that he’d likely never eat or walk independently.
“When we left the hospital with Alex, Anthony and I told each other, ‘We’re just going to do the best we can to provide everything possible for him and take it day by day,’” Stacy says.
Alex’s care plan included doctors’ visits, surgeries and therapy appointments, which his parents balanced with caring for their other three children. Their persistence paid off: Alex gained the skills to eat by mouth. By age 2, he had even learned to walk independently.
We wanted to help Kennedy Krieger do the same for other kids.” – Stacy David
Alex does aquatic therapy at Kennedy Krieger.
In 2023, to foster Alex’s continued progress, Alex underwent a selective dorsal rhizotomy—a complex nerve surgery that helps improve leg movements—at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Alex followed that up with an intensive six-week inpatient rehabilitation at Kennedy Krieger. He made remarkable progress. Plus, he even had fun and made new friends!
“His physical therapist, Mariana Kogut, is one of his favorite people,” Stacy says. “He loved her from Day 1 and made amazing strides with her. Still to this day, Alex talks about Kennedy Krieger and how much he wants to go back! He truly loved his time there.”
The Davids appreciated the care Alex received at Kennedy Krieger so much that they decided to give back. In 2024, Anthony and Stacy hosted a golf tournament with their company, Adalan Private Wealth, in support of Kennedy Krieger. The event raised $34,000, which they offered as matching funds to incentivize
giving for the Institute’s fall 2024 fundraising drive.
“We felt like Kennedy Krieger had done a lot to put a smile on Alex’s face,” Stacy explains. “We wanted to help Kennedy Krieger do the same for other kids.”