Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
SPECIAL WELCOME
Ailing boy greeted by Chester County Sheriff’s officials
When a 7-year-old boy with an infectious smile was released from the Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children this week after more than 200 days, he had no idea what kind of love he was about to get.
Members of the Chester County Sheriff’s office helped to plan a special ‘welcome home’ for the Hunter Bristow, the nephew of Deputy Sheriff Matthew Bristow.
Some helped assemble a gift basket while others orchestrated a special escort. Originally, members of the Chester County Sheriff’s Office Wheels Unit had planned a motorcycle detail to lead a caravan from A.I. du Pont that would have included Hunter, his family and friends. Unfortunately, the forecast called for rain. Undeterred, Deputy Sheriff Cpl. Frank DeJesse and Cpl. Brad DeSando used a CCSO vehicle with flashing lights to head a parade of six vehicles; Deputy Bristow brought up the rear.
Shannon Bristow, Hunter’s mother, said her son expected to see his uncle and his aunt – Bristow’s wife, Jessica,
is a nurse at the hospital — in the lobby when he was wheeled down to a waiting ambulance, but not anyone else from the Sheriff’s Office. Hunter’s eyes and his smile widened when he caught a glimpse of Deputy Bristow and got even larger when he saw the other members of the office. The celebratory mood continued when everyone arrived at Hunter’s home in Lititz; it was adorned with colorful messages.
Hunter Bristow has a rare type of dwarfism and also suffers from severe kyphoscoliosis (severe spine deformity). After numerous doctor and hospital visits throughout his life, he underwent surgery at A.I. du Pont in April, a procedure to place rods in his back that lasted 13 hours due to unforeseen complications. Instead
of straightening his spine, the operation landed him in the pediatric ICU with spinal edema.
While he was treated for spinal shock following surgery, he experienced several rounds of pneumonia, numerous infections, and multiple other health ailments that are common with spinal cord injuries and lengthy hospitalization.
Hunter’s parents, Shannon and Daniel Bristow, have endured a series of ongoing challenges; their younger son, Brooks, also suffers from the rare form of dwarfism, forcing the parents to divide their resources while Hunter was hospitalized for 205 days 50 miles away. A friend has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with the many medical expenses that insurance doesn’t cover, such as making their home and a vehicle wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/will-you-behunters-hero.