IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - A Waterloo teen will be the Kid Captain for Saturday’s homecoming showdown at Kinnick Stadium.

Jaxton Engstrom was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye disorder, after he started losing his vision around age 5, but less than two years later, he collapsed and had a seizure. He was rushed to the emergency room and referred to University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Genetic testing led to the diagnosis of Batten disease, a rare neurological disorder that has no cure. Years later, a large Stead Family Children’s Hospital team performed emergency surgeries days in a row after Jaxton was rushed from a local hospital with extreme sepsis, which can be fatal.

Jaxton spent 99 days in the hospital before being discharged. Open wounds

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