Kaylin “KK” Burns is best friends with Momma Lynch — yes, theMomma Lynch.
“She knows him as Momma Lynch’s baby, not as Beastmode,” said Kaylin’s mother, Jessica Eaton Burns, referring to Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.
And Ben Obomanu, a former Seahawks wide receiver, is affectionately called Uncle Obo.
“He was at the hospital when she was born,” Eaton Burns said.
The Burns and the Seahawks have stayed connected through Kaylin’s father’s company Just KB Promotions, an organization that connects special talent, specifically the Seahawks, to charity efforts around the region.
The company has helped victims of the Oso landslide, collected Army care packages and has raised thousands of dollars from organizing Seahawks autographs and shirt giveaways, among other good deeds.
But the Burns never would have guessed they would be on the receiving end of good deeds such as those.
Nearly $14,000 in debt from medical bills, the Burns have been struggling to stay afloat as they care for Kaylin and her two hemangioma tumors, both benign, she was born with.
With anywhere from seven to eight doctors, Kaylin regularly sees a neurosurgeon, physical therapist, has a $2,500 annual MRI and several other checkups to ensure her tumors aren’t growing and she’s learning how to cope with them and a tethered spine.
To help the family, family friend Jessica Stoneback helped organize a car wash benefit with the owner of Jersey’s Sports Bar, who also agreed to donate food for a breakfast. Momma Lynch will also attend the event, organizers said.
Stoneback said although she’s known about Kaylin’s tumors for a couple of years, she felt the need to do more after she found out Kaylin was supposed to have an MRI but it was delayed because her family didn’t have money at the time.
“It doesn’t matter what your bills are,” Stoneback said. “She has to have her test. Every year, she has to have her MRI and neurological testing. About six months ago, Kenny started driving Uber to help pay for the bills.”
When Kenny Burns is not helping with the charity, he’s managing the76 gas station by the airport and Eaton Burns works from home as a bookkeeper.
Which is why the family doesn’t qualify for any financial aid, EatonBurns said.
Family friend Greg Woodfill also created a gofundme.com account for Kaylin with the hopes of raising the full $14,000. So far, $1,332 has been donated.
“Kenny Burns has always been there for his friends,” Woodfill wrote in an email. “He’ll give you the shirt off of his back if you need it. I’ve observed many ask for help from him, but never seen him ask for help himself. It’s not in him to ask.”
Woodfill said many people don’t realize the family’s struggles, but if they did know, many would step forward to help.
“Couple that with the uplifting affect this child has on you —everyone loves her — this is why I decided to ask others if they would help,” he said.
One month after Kaylin’s birth, a traumatic C-section for Eaton Burns, her family found out about the hemangioma tumors.
“It looked like strawberry marks,” Eaton Burns said. “Like a rash on her butt crack and inside, it curved a little.”
Her doctor recommended she go to a dermatologist, who recommended she go to a neurosurgeon.
Kaylin’s first MRI was less than four months after she was born.Today, she’s had seven MRIs since she was 2 years old.
“Right when the doctor walked in, he said, ‘Sit down … plan on this being the next 20 years of your life,’” she recalled. “And I fired that neurosurgeon and got a new one at Seattle Children’s Hospital.”
Eaton Burns said she will not accept that type of mentality for her daughter.
Kaylin’s internal tumor is intertwined in her spinal chord. They won’t be touching that one, she said. That tumor has its own blood feeding source and Eaton Burns estimates it’s the size of a half-dollar.
Because of the tumor, Kaylin’s spine is already two inches shorter than normal. She regularly goes to physical therapy to strengthen her right leg.
“When she plays with other kids, she knows she’s a little bit different and can’t do everything they can do,” Eaton Burns said, noting games like balancing on curbs or balance beams.
If she starts dragging her right foot, the family will need to take her to the emergency room.
For the external hemangioma tumor, they’ve been able to do laser treatments and have experimented with medication to reduce the size, color and ulceration.
But the biggest fear is that her chord could snap, leaving her paralyzed.
“We won’t know until she’s done growing,” Eaton Burns said, adding it could be well into her 20s.
Until then, the soon-to-be kindergartner at Nautilus Elementary is perfectly content playing pretend games of victim/doctor, Barbies and being Momma Lynch’s “BFF.”
In fact, as part of the car wash benefit, Eaton Burns anticipates shirts for sale that read “Don’t be jealous because Kaylin’s my BFF.”
In addition to the T-shirts, car wash and breakfast, Stoneback said a signed Seahawks football, Seahawks jewelry, pre-season tickets to the Seahawks vs. Raiders game and baskets will be available at an auction during the benefit. Seahawks players may also show up as well.
The car wash and breakfast benefit to help the Burns will be from 10a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2 at Jersey’s Sports Bar, located at35509 21st Ave. SW in Federal Way.
For more information on the event, visit www.facebook.com/events/1001370586622861/.
To donate to help the Burns, visit www.gofundme.com/kaylinsmedicalfund.
