ByMariah Congedo|February 27, 2021 at 10:50 PM EST - Updated February 28 at 12:11 AM
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Born at 25 weeks old, Kai Everett Flynn came into the world as a fighter. Lynae and Robert Flynn say at just a few weeks old, their son ended up with a brain bleed that ultimately led to hydrocephalus and four brain surgeries.
“The second one they told us he wasn’t going to survive. Nobody had done that, especially not on a premature baby before,” said Lynae.
Kai fought hard.
“Two weeks later he passed away,” she said.
“We got to see him in his outfit for the first time at almost two months old, we saw him in his first outfit, and we got to have him at home for a little bit,” said Robert.
Even in his short time, Kai’s family says he touched a lot of peoples’ lives.
“Kai had a really big impact, I think, on more people than we even knew. I couldn’t just let that go. I wanted to carry that on in a different way,” said Gracie Mowers, Kai’s aunt.
Since 2013, Gracie Mowers has been involved with Imani Milele Children, a Christian nonprofit that specifically raises awareness for Uganda’s orphans living without life’s most basic needs. The group travels all over the country, raising awareness, including to churches here in Chatham and Effingham Counties.
“We wanted to take that and turn Kai’s legacy into being able to help people, especially children,” Robert said.
Mowers says through Imani Milele Children she’sraising moneyto rebuild a fully-furnished school in Kitongo in Kai’s honor. It’s a school near and dear to their hearts as Mowers, Lynae and their family saw the school they’re rebuilding a few years ago on their trip. The school, Mowers says, will be for about 600 children.
“It’s living proof of the impact Kai had,” said Lynae.
Mowers says they hope to break ground on it in the summer. Once it’s rebuilt, there will be one final touch to add — a special plaque.
“There will be one on there. It’ll be in memory of Kai Everett Flynn and then I want to potentially put a Bible verse or something on it as well,” said Mowers.
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