A Waukesha family's weekend getaway turned into a life-or-death emergency when their 9-year-old son suffered what they initially thought was just a severe headache. Their quick actions likely saved his life.
Wesley Ulrich was enjoying time with his family at a cabin outside Minnequa when the emergency began.
Watch: 9-year-old Waukesha boy survives rare brain condition thanks to parents' quick action
"He got out of the kayak and said, 'Mom, I have the worst headache of my life,'" Laura Ulrich, Wesley's mom, said.
Laura and Kevin Ulrich noticed their son wasn't acting normally and made the critical decision to head to the nearest hospital, which was 50 minutes away.
"He was starting to stumble. He was starting to not be able to say his words. He was getting very, very hot," Kevin Ulrich said.
The family's concerns grew as Wesley's condition worsened. They called 9-1-1 from the car and emergency services told them to keep driving and while an ambulance met them on the road. When they got him to the hospital, doctors figured out it was a brain bleed. That’s when Wesley’s mom asked for him to be airlifted to Madison for emergency brain surgery.
Doctors discovered Wesley had suffered from a ruptured arteriovenous malformation, or AVM.
"An AVM is a weird cluster of vessels that comes together and it is a malformation," Kevin Ulrich explained.
It was something Wesley was born with. For many who have the rare condition, it is not an issue. But a rupture can be deadly.
The Ulrichs now recognize the warning signs they observed in Wesley — dizziness, confusion, slurred speech, and weakness on one side of the body – as classic symptoms of a brain bleed, something they never expected to see in their 9-year-old son.
“’All I want to do is lay down and take a nap,’” Laura said that is what Wesley first asked her. “If we would have let him lay down this story would be very different.”
Wesley continues working on his recovery, particularly with reading and speech challenges.
"Sometimes I would spit out a word when it wasn't even right," Wesley said.
The family has discovered an unexpected positive outcome from Wesley's medical journey — he now has an enhanced musical ability, able to hear a song once and play it on the piano. Wesley maintains a positive outlook despite the challenges he's faced.
"Even though I am different than other people, it just makes me unique," Wesley said.
A fundraiser to help with Wesley's medical expenses is scheduled for September 7 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Fox River Church in Waukesha. You can find more information about it here.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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