‘He is extremely strong’: Taylorsville toddler still fighting for his life two years after crash

TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - On June 25, 2021, Nina Brewster was told to say goodbye to her 9-week-old son.

Tucker Roop wasn’t expected to live through the night after a traumatic car accident while the family was driving through a construction zone on I-40.

“They counted him out in the beginning,” Brewster said. “So you never know with him, he’s a tough little booger.”

Baby Tucker turned two in April, and had to spend his second birthday in the hospital. He suffered lifelong brain damage from the accident, and has been severely immunocompromised ever since.

“He has no control over his head and his arms and his legs, which causes a lot of respiratory compromise,” Tucker’s palliative care nurse, Dannelle Hester said. “He requires a lot of medication that no kid should have to have.”

Every common cold for Tucker brings the threat of infection or pneumonia, and most often requires a trip to the hospital.

He’s still battled through all the obstacles through the last two years, when most doctors deemed it impossible.

“When you look at what his brain looks like on imaging, Tucker shouldn’t be here today,” Hester said.

But with an entire medical team and support system at home, Tucker has beaten the odds and is still fighting.

“He is extremely strong,” Hester said. “And he has surpassed a lot of what the providers say he should not be able to do, he can do.”

Brewster said that the driver who hit her car was driving nearly 60 mph through the construction zone, and only received a failure to maintain speed ticket.

Meanwhile her son received a life sentence.

“He got to pay a ticket, his insurance goes up a little bit,” Brewster said. “And Tucker is still literally fighting for his life.”

Brewster said that over the past two years, Tucker has received countless cards, letters, and even teddy bears from people around the country who have heard his story and were inspired by his battle.

Anyone interested in sending Tucker some encouraging mail can send it to this address:

• P.O. Box 591 - Hiddenite, N.C., 28636

Following the crash, a family friend has set up a GoFundMe for Brewster, who has been unable to work while taking care of Tucker. The link to that page can be found here.

Also Read: ‘Please pray for Tucker’: 2-month-old seriously injured in accident; community rallies behind family

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