Family and friends are working to raise money for the family of a 5-year-old who recently passed away due to complications from surgery.

Ayden Charles Stokes passed away July 7, and family friend Tabitha Daniel said the family needs help paying for medical expenses and funeral costs for the child.

An account has been set up at gofundme.com, but Daniel said locals are welcome to take donations to Keahey Funeral Home.

Stokes was born premature, at only 22 weeks, and faced countless battles throughout his 5 years on Earth.

“Ayden faced many challenges with his health due to his prematurity, but his biggest battles would be those associated with his diagnosis of cerebral palsy,” Daniel said in her description on the fundraising site. “He spent the first 10 months of his life in the hospital enduring numerous surgeries and also countless victories against the odds stacked so high against him. With enormous faith and diligent prayer he was finally welcomed home to a loving family and spent the next five years enriching the lives of all those he encountered.”

Daniel said Ayden’s toughest battle came in April.

“After numerous tests doctors would soon find that Ayden had an infection surrounding the shunt that was placed in his head as an infant,” she said. “Due to this infection he would have his shunt removed and begin his first of two lengthy stays at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.”

Ayden was released three weeks later, but more problems occurred due to the shunt.

“His grandmother and grandfather, Todd and Sandra Carr, would soon find themselves rushing him back to the ER in Dothan, where he would be life flighted back to Birmingham,” she said. “Unknown to them this would be Ayden’s last emergency flight.”

Doctors in Birmingham determined that the infection was back and his shunt would need to be removed. Then, Ayden began a series of antibiotics in order to rid his body of the infection so that he could have his shunt put back.

Finally Ayden beat the infections, and he was strong enough to have as shunt put back, and the family began to prepare to go home.

“It was within hours later that his grandmother, Sandra, could sense something wasn’t right,” Daniel said. “Her fears would be revealed when the devastating news was soon given than during the routine shunt replacement a problem had occurred.”

Daniel said the surgeon had punctured Ayden’s colon and unleashed throughout his body a very aggressive flesh-eating bacteria, necrotizing fasciitis.

Ayden under went emergency surgery in hopes of saving his life.

“The doctors gave little hope but the Lord and Ayden would face many long weeks,” Daniel said. “He would spend the next 74 days battling for his life”

Daniel said, due to Ayden’s medical conditions, the family was unable to obtain life insurance for him.

“My hope is to have everyone become one of Ayden’s Angels and join together to help lift this financial burden off his family’s shoulders while they try and get through the loss of such a beloved family member,” Daniel said. “Donations will be collected in hopes to cover the cost of Ayden’s expenses.”

Daniel has set the fundraising goal at $7,500 for the family.

To make a donation online visit gofundme.com/bo9to8.