Doctors say the 10-year-old's body is not pumping enough blood, leaving the boy in critical condition. Joshua Mark Hansen felt fine until last Sunday when he got sick and struggled to breathe. Since then the boy has been on life-support with bacterial pneumonia and the family is now feeling helpless.
Family members of 10-year-old are in disbelief as to how a perfectly healthy and active kid from Auberry now struggles to stay alive.
Rod Hansen, Joshua's Uncle said, "He's on full life support. He's heart is beating from what I understand, but it's not pumping any blood. The machines are doing all his breathing, all his blood circulation."
Joshua's aunt and uncle say the 10-year-old fell ill with the flu on Sunday and was taken to Valley Children's Hospital.
His condition worsened and Joshua had to be transferred to Stanford Medical Center.
Missy Hansen, Joshua's Aunt said, "It started out with type b flue and strep and that led to bacterial pneumonia."
A rare complication that requires him to get daily blood transfusion but as if things couldn't get worse
"He's type O-negative, which is extremely rare. The only type of blood he can receive is blood like his own, so we're searching out, statewide," Hansen said.
The Central California Blood Center in Northwest Fresno is stepping in to help. They've opened an account so people can donate under Joshua's name.
Chris Sorensen of the Central California Blood Center said, "Make sure our blood supplies are really strong so if Joshua needs blood there, and they run low, then we will be the first to make sure we help out."
Donors who've already heard of Joshua's story have stopped by to help anyway they can.
Blood donor Leslie Wood said, "Seeing the parents, what they're dealing with their son who's in fifth grade and i have 2 children of my own, i feel like i would want somebody do to the same for my child."
As for Joshua's family they're praying he makes a full recovery and gets back to playing sports.
"He's the one that is just the kid you love to have around, you just love to have him around because he's just the shining light everywhere," Hansen said.
