Tuesday, June 18, 2024
For the Dossey family, a near tragedy has turned into the ultimate representation of God’s faithfulness.
Members from across Gatesville and Jonesboro communities have come together in prayer for the healing of Braxton Dossey, a 17-year-old Jonesboro High School student who severely injured his neck after diving into a swimming pool in late May. Hosted by Jonesboro ISD staff, a prayer vigil that consisted of Braxton’s family, friends, and teachers took place on Friday, June 7 in the school cafeteria.
“I just want to say thank you to everybody who’s been praying for me,” Braxton said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that their prayer and support and just their outpouring of love is what’s got me through all this. You’ll never know how much it means to me.”
Braxton and his father, Matt Dossey, say they are overwhelmed by the support they have received from the Central Texas community, from the thousands of prayers and messages to the visits from friends and family in the hospital.
“It is by the grace of God that my son is here and not only here but is on the pathway to a complete healing and recovery,” said Matt, who is also the superintendent of Jonesboro ISD. “God has worked a miracle on our behalf, and I don’t take that lightly.”
Braxton’s injury included a fracture of his C5 vertebrae in his neck, which caused him to experience paralysis in his arms, hands, and legs. He was taken by care flight to Baylor Scott & White in Temple where he spent several days in the intensive care unit.
During this time, Braxton said he learned that he could not fight this battle without God.
“For a long time before this, I was living how I wanted to and doing the things that I wanted to, and not necessarily worrying about what God wanted for me,” he said. “It took that pain to make me realize that God was the person keeping me through all of this.”
Braxton was transferred to a neurological rehabilitation center in the Houston Medical Center on Friday, June 7. Matt said they attended the prayer event in Jonesboro via cameras that were set up in the cafeteria.
“Part of this prayer vigil was that they were going to take communion here, so with us watching with them over the video cameras, we were actually able to take communion with all the people in Jonesboro at the same time even though we were in Houston,” Matt said.
Now on the road to recovery, Braxton gives God all the glory for his healing.
“If one person is helped by this then God gets the glory, because it’s His will and nobody can change that,” he said. “I believe with all my heart that God is still working, and God is going to bring about a miraculous healing for me, so I can testify to other people and tell them that He’s the reason I’m still here.”
