The day Coen Tucker was born, doctors said that he was likely going to die.

He had a bleed in his brain, his grandmother Linda Beedle remembers of that chaotic day in 2009. His parents flew with him from their hometown of Spokane to Portland’s Oregon Health and Science University, where he had three brain surgeries and a stroke.

“He survived everything they said he wouldn’t,” Beedle, 64, said. “And they told us when we were taking him home that he would need lifelong care.”

Wanting to help, Beedle left her human resources job to become a caregiver for her grandson while her son and daughter-in-law continued their careers.

“I am his person,” she said, describing Coen as a sweet and funny guy.

Today, Coen is a 16-year-old Shadle Park High School student. He lives with autism and cerebra

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