Friends, family and KC pro-sports teams welcome home girl after 47-day stay in hospital

It’s been a long road home from Children’s Mercy Hospital for Brinley Hutson, but the 12-year-old Overland Park girl found a warm welcome waiting Monday evening from family, friends and teammates.

Hutson spent 47 days in the hospital, originally fighting off a life-threatening bacterial infection that followed a kick to the shin and eventually led to the impossible decision to amputate her left leg above the knee. But Hutson has always had a fighting spirit, according to her soccer coach Dario Jaramillo.

And it’s never wavered.

Since coming home, Hutson has shown her determination to get back on the field, already lifting weights and trying to get back into playing shape. For now, while she works her way back, she’s earned a spot as Jaramillo’s assistant coach.

“What’s been amazing is that since she’s been home, she has had that self determination to get back on the fields,” Jaramillo said. “This fight in Brinley has always been there, but it was there at the hospital and it continues to be there at the house. She is walking up the stairs by herself. … They’re having to slow her down.

“We want to keep her as close to the game, as close to the field, as close to the teammates as possible, and also give her incentive to get out of the house and to get up and ambulatory and be around that sport.”

A large crowd was congregated and awaiting Hutson’s return at California Trail Middle School in Olathe — Hutson’s softball and soccer teams were present. After a couple drive-by’s in the Hutson family’s truck, they parked ... and it didn’t take long for Brinley’s teammates to run over to her and embrace the teammate they’d been missing for so long.

“She’s one of those people that just brings more fun into the game and the one who’s always positive,” said Ava Bradley, a softball teammate. “I was very happy to see her because the team hasn’t really been the same without her.”

Bradley said the team sent messages to Hutson in a group chat throughout her hospital stay, sending texts to keep her spirits up. Hutson’s fight reminded Bradley to believe you can get through the challenges of life.

“It means everything when you have a friend or a teammate or someone special like Brinley affected by such an unusually rare circumstance,” Jaramillo said. “It affects not just her family, but also her friends and our teammates. But it also gives them an opportunity to educate themselves and educate ourselves on how to be better friends, how to be better teammates, how to be a better coach.

“So when you see them today getting a chance to see Brinley again, it keeps them positive and engaged and I think as determined as Brinley to continue supporting her as she goes through her stages.”

A significant role in Hutson’s journey of recovery will be her immediate support group — family, friends and teammates — who have already made strides in educating themselves about how best to support her. Jaramillo said they focused their efforts on helping the girls see the bigger picture of the future and building a foundation for Hutson to lean on.

“We’ve encouraged the girls to read books, we’ve encourage the girls to learn more about amputation,” Jaramillo said. “We’ve tried to make sure that education is key and at the same time, giving them the opportunity to ask questions, to cry, to feel, because that’s also part of the normal process. I’m incredibly proud of our families, for making the girls aware that building a future foundation for Brinley with love and support is what’s going to help her continue to fight.”

And hugs and excitement were not the only things Hutson was met with Monday night. Multiple Kansas City pro-sports teams sent gifts, including a jersey of her favorite Chiefs player, Travis Kelce. Hutson was given a Royals jersey and a Sporting KC jersey signed by the whole team. While in the hospital, she received care packages from the KC NWSL women’s soccer team, and former Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who suffered a similarly dangerous infection.

She even received a video from U.S. soccer star and Chicago Red Stars midfielder Julie Ertz.

“I am cheering for you and you’ve got this,” Ertz said in the video. “I know that sometimes it’s hard to understand why certain things happen, and in those tough moments is when you lay on your faith and your friends and your family, because they are cheering you on … I have no doubt you’ll overcome this.”

Hutson and her family extended gratitude to the teams that sent gifts to keep her spirits high, but also to the greater community, which collectively has raised more than $84,000 through a GoFundMe account set up to assist with medical expenses and the cost of future prosthetics. She’s in phase two of a long process and will get fitted for her starter prosthetic at the end of the month.

“They couldn’t be more grateful for the community, locally and nationally, that have reached out to support Brinley,” Jaramillo said. “All of that has meant so much to the family … and the community has been there every step of the way.”

This story was originally published July 12, 2021 at 10:40 PM.