Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman recently provided a heartfelt update on his son Maximus’s health after the three-year-old was rushed to the emergency room last week.
Freeman and his wife Chelsea shared on Instagram on Thursday, August 1, that Maximus is “battling a severe case of Guillain-Barré syndrome,” a rare neurological condition that is particularly uncommon in children.
The Mayo Clinic describes Guillain-Barré syndrome as a condition where the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, potentially causing weakness, numbness, or paralysis. While the exact cause remains unknown, Cedars-Sinai notes that most children “recover fully with no complications.”
“These have been the hardest and scariest days of our lives,” the couple’s post continued. “Maximus is such a special boy and he has been fighting SO hard. This is going to be a journey to recovery, but we have faith that he will be completely healed.”
Freeman was granted a leave of absence from the Dodgers last week to be with his family, traveling from the team’s road trip in Houston back to Los Angeles.
“We have been blown away by his improvements in the last 48 hours,” the Freemans wrote. “Maximus was extubated from his breathing tube and taken off of the ventilator yesterday, which is a huge win for us.”
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The couple expressed their belief in the power of prayer and gratitude for the support they’ve received. “We have been witnessing a miracle in his recovery. Please continue to cover Maximus and our family in your prayers. We really appreciate and have felt all of your support.”
The Freemans, who also have sons Charlie, 7, and Brandon, 3—born three months before Maximus via surrogacy—initially updated their followers about Maximus’s condition on Wednesday, July 26.
They revealed that Maximus had been diagnosed with transient synovitis, a condition causing hip inflammation. Chelsea shared via Instagram Stories that Maximus was unable to sit, stand, or walk. After an overnight hospital stay, she provided another update on Thursday, July 27, following Maximus’s discharge.
“[Maximus] stopped eating or drinking and was very lethargic,” she wrote. “It took 2 attempts to get an IV in, and Max was so brave he didn’t even cry. They ran a ton of tests & blood work panels that, thank God, all came back negative. No infection or active virus. They hydrated him and gave him inflammatory medicine through IV. They took x-rays & ultrasound.”
Chelsea added that if Maximus’s condition did not improve within 48 hours, they would need to return to the hospital.
“There is really nothing worse than seeing your child in pain. My heart breaks for all the families that have it worse. Thank you so much for the prayers,” she concluded.
As the Freeman family navigates this challenging journey, they are bolstered by the support of friends, fans, and the broader community, all hoping for Maximus’s full recovery.
