Just days ago, 11-year-old Jace Watkins was counting down the hours to Christmas with the excitement only a child can have. Like so many kids his age, the fifth grader from Hueytown Intermediate School was dreaming of Christmas morning—lights, laughter, and time with family.
But this Christmas Eve, Jace’s family is not waiting for presents under the tree.
They are waiting for a miracle.
Jace, who lives in Hueytown, Alabama, came down with what seemed like a routine case of the flu last week. Doctors checked his lungs on Friday and reassured the family that everything looked okay. There were no warning signs of the nightmare that was about to unfold.
On Saturday, everything changed.
According to Jace’s aunt, Sabrina Parsons, Jace suddenly began having seizures. Moments later, he stopped breathing. Panic set in as emergency responders rushed him to Children’s of Alabama. Before paramedics were able to bring him back, Jace had gone without breathing for as long as 15 minutes.
Today, Jace lies in a hospital room in a medically induced coma. A ventilator is doing the work his body cannot—helping him breathe, moment by moment.
“There is no sign of brain activity right now,” Jace’s grandmother shared quietly from his bedside. “His eyes are not responding to light, and his brain remains swollen.”
There is never a “right” time for tragedy, but when it arrives on Christmas Eve, the pain feels especially heavy. Instead of wrapping gifts and sharing meals, Jace’s family is holding hands in prayer, clinging to hope in the midst of unimaginable fear.
Last night, that hope spread beyond hospital walls. Family friend Amanda Aloia organized a prayer vigil in Hueytown, where dozens of people gathered—friends, neighbors, and strangers united by one purpose: to pray for Jace.
“At this point, it’s the only thing we can do,” Amanda said. “Pray for Jace’s Christmas Miracle.”
And so the prayers continue.
This Christmas Eve, a young boy who was once filled with excitement now rests silently, surrounded by love, faith, and the hopes of an entire community. His family believes in miracles—and they are asking others to believe with them.
If you are reading this, please take a moment to say a prayer for Jace Watkins. Leave a word of encouragement for his family. Sometimes, love and prayer are the most powerful gifts we can give.
Because this Christmas, one family is waiting for a miracle—and believing it can still happen.
