Social media influencer Jackie Miller James has been placed in a medically induced coma after she suffered a ruptured aneurysm, a week before she was due to give birth to her first child.
The 35-year-old was found by her husband Austin, according to a GoFundMe page established by her sisters Nicole and Nicelle. They revealed she had collapsed at home, and was rushed to the emergency room where doctors performed brain surgery for the “severe brain bleeding and injury”, at the same time as an emergency C-section was performed to deliver her baby girl.
"Twelve days after this incident, Jackie remains in a medically induced coma and has undergone five separate brain procedures," her sisters wrote on the fundraising page. "
"Jackie is expected to remain in the ICU for weeks and will continue to be hospitalized for months. The baby girl remained in the NICU after 12 days due to the traumatic events of her birth. Jackie is continuing to fight for her life each day and we are optimistic she can beat the odds by surrounding her with the right specialists and methods of therapy. While the road will be long, we are committed to bringing Jackie home to her daughter and husband," they continued.
The page also included a picture of Jackie, who has over 30,000 followers on Instagram, on the hospital bed in a coma holding her baby girl for the first time.
Her most recent Instagram post was shared on May 18 and featured a carousel of pictures of Jackie cradling her baby bump.
"39 Weeks Scroll to the end for the reality of the situation lol," she captioned the post; the last picture saw her balancing a burger on her bump.
"Praying for you and your family, love!" commented one follower as another wrote: "So many heavy emotions and all I know is that you’re a warrior of God. You will be healed and go home to start this new chapter of your life with your precious earth angel and husband."
The GoFundMe has raised over $144,000 and aims to reach $250,000.
Jackie and Austin wed on April 17 2022 in Napa Valley, California. They are based in California and met on a dating app a year prior.