NFL running back Tevin Coleman and his wife revealed Tuesday that their young daughter was recently put on a ventilator amid her battle with sickle cell disease.
Coleman — who previously played for the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers — along with his wife, Akilah Coleman, shared the “short story about the most resilient girl,” their 6-year-old Nazaneen, in a heartrending joint Instagram post.
“Nazaneen spent some time on a BiPAP ventilator machine which essentially means she couldn’t breathe on her own and needed the machine to expand her lungs and breathe for her. She also received her first blood transfusion,” Akilah wrote. “It’s a feeling unexplainable to watching your child literally fight to breathe. Tevin managed to calm my spirit while managing his own. I’m so sorry for that because it doesn’t leave space for him to go through the motions.”
Though Akilah noted how difficult it is to share such “vulnerable and transparent” updates about one’s kids, she said the couple — also parents to Nazaneen’s twin brother, Nezerah — didn’t want to be “disingenuous and misleading” by only sharing the positive times in their lives.
“We have moments in life where we are often stripped of legacy, wealth and success and nothing else matters but the air in our lungs. No amount of hard work or dedication can alter this. It’s humbling but inspiring when we rise back up,” she continued.
Akilah’s post shows several clips from the little girl’s time in the hospital, along with both parents looking after and playing with her. It ends with snaps of her smiling and seeming healthy, as well as a recording from her classmates wishing her well.
“She listened to that message more times than I can count. Even when she couldn’t speak and all she could do was cry, that audio was on repeat for two weeks in the hospital,” Akilah said. “I think it kept her spirits up and determined to fight. It serves as a reminder of the power of friendship no matter the age!”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited disorders related to red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. In someone with SCD, red blood cells die early or get stuck and clog the blood flow, causing pain and other serious complications.
