06/09/2026
8-year-old Tahlya Thompson had a life-threatening brain hemorrhage and underwent emergency surgery on May 19, 2026 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Tahlya was diagnosed with an AVM, Arteriovenous Malformation, a rare brain condition. The first two days were the hardest. Doctors were not hopeful. But they worked with everything they had and were able to save her. Because of where the AVM sits deep inside her brain, doctors cannot remove it with surgery. She now faces 3 to 6 months of recovery, radiation therapy, weakness on her right side, and speech challenges.
Her father, Theo Thompson, said Tahlya asked him, "Dad, why is this happening to me?" But ten days after surgery, Tahlya took a few steps on her own. Theo said, "Watching her learn how to walk again is something no parent ever expects to experience. Every step is a reminder of how far she has already come and how much fight she still has inside her." Theo said Tahlya loves music and that her favorite artist is Selena. He introduced her to Michael Jackson early. Her favorite album of his is "Off the Wall."
Theo is a U.S. Navy veteran, a husband of 30 years, and a father of three kids. But nothing could have prepared him for this. He and his wife Doreen were reluctant to ask for help and held off on starting a GoFundMe for as long as they could. But the costs of traveling between Corpus Christi and Houston, Texas for radiation therapy, specialist visits, housing, and lost income became too much to carry alone. He started a GoFundMe called "10 Days Ago Thought I Lost My Baby Girl." And he said, "Look at your kid's eyes and let that be your motivation. I don't want to let my kids down, and I will do whatever it takes. Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for our little girl, share her story, and support our family."
(Photo: Courtesy of Theo Thompson)
