Tripp Halstead, a 7-year-old boy from Georgia who captured the hearts of millions five years ago, has died, his family shared on March 15. Tripp had suffered a severe brain injury at just two years old back in 2012 when he was struck by a falling tree branch while playing outside of his preschool. At the time, doctors said his chances of survival didn’t look good. However, Tripp overcame the worst, and survived. Tripp’s death, five years after his traumatic injury, seems to have been caused by some type of lung infection, according to his mom, Stacy Halstead. Click here to see photos of celebs who have passed away this year.
Stacy wrote in a Facebook post on March 15 that she brought Tripp to the hospital that morning after she noticed he was having trouble breathing. “I went to wake Tripp up for school this morning and he was having labored breathing. I could see his little chest going up and down and his heart rate was high,” she posted on the page “Tripp Halstead Updates.” “I went to move him and he started whining and then had crazy diarrhea so I immediately called his pediatrician and they said to bring him in.” On the drive to the doctors office though, Stacy noticed her son was getting worse. She decided to drive him directly to the ER. There, doctors checked his oxygen levels and said they were very low. Evidence appeared to show either a pneumonia or mucus in Tripp’s lungs.
Stacy ended the post on a hopeful note. “Not sure what’s going to happen but I just feel 10000% better knowing he’s in good hands at the hospital,” she wrote. “I’ll update later with Thank you Thursday and Pictures. Plus an update on Tripp. Thank you for your prayers and support. Love you all.” Stacy and her husband Bill‘s next update was the announcement that Tripp had suddenly passed away.
“There are no words to express how Bill and I are feeling at this moment. We are beyond devastated and honestly I believe I am in shock,” Stacy wrote just hours later. “Our amazing, perfect, beautiful miracle of a son, Tripp Hughes Halstead passed away at 5:47 pm today. He was our whole world.” The family confirmed the death to WXIA later in a statement. “Thank you for all of the support,” Stacy told 11Alive. “We are devastated.”
Tripp suffered severe brain damage after his 2012 accident, which occurred on October 29. At the time, doctors had told his parents that his brain was swollen, causing his body to shut down. Tripp beat all odds though and survived. Just days ago on March 14, Stacy wrote, “Tripp is doing very well. He slept good last night and he looked so handsome this morning with his new haircut. His hair is so much easier to cut now that he has better head control. He can’t hold it forever, but definitely longer periods of time.”
Back in October, on the five-year anniversary of the accident, Stacy spoke to 11Alive, saying, “Time is a crazy thing. I’m just so thankful that Tripp is still here and giving me more joy than I could have ever imagined. I love him more every single day. He is my world and I’m so proud of him.”
This upcoming weekend, the family was planning on taking a “special” trip to North Carolina, as Stacy wrote on March 12, “This weekend As Long As Tripp is still doing good, we are going to visit Nana!!!! In NC.” Our thoughts are with the entire Halstead family.