Late-night Google search leads to life-saving brain surgery for Texas boy after flu misdiagnosis

A Texas mother’s late-night internet search and a direct email to a specialist prompted a transfer and surgery that doctors say saved her son’s life after he was initially diagnosed with the flu.

Six-year-old Witten Daniel was rushed to a Lubbock hospital on April 28 after his condition deteriorated, his mother, Casey Daniel, told WAFB. Physicians initially suspected influenza, but within hours the boy lost the ability to walk, speak or breathe unaided. Further testing revealed a cavernous malformation — a cluster of abnormal blood vessels that had begun to bleed into his brainstem — and doctors said he suffered multiple strokes and seizures during his hospitalization.

Medical staff in Lubbock told Casey Daniel there was little more they could do to improve her son’s quality of life and warned he might never walk or speak again and could require permanent breathing support, she said. The mother said she began searching online for alternatives and located a medical paper by Dr. Jacques Morcos, a neurosurgeon in Houston who specializes in cavernous malformations. She emailed him describing her son’s worsening condition.

Dr. Morcos reviewed Witten’s records and, according to his statements in media reports, believed the lesion could be treated surgically. He advised transfer to Houston. Days later Witten was flown to the Texas Medical Center, where Dr. Morcos and pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Manish Shah performed a risky operation that lasted about four hours. The surgeons later told the family the operation was successful.

Witten remained hospitalized during his immediate recovery and underwent rehabilitation. He has since recovered sufficiently to receive medical clearance to return to his baseball team, according to his family, and has started second grade. Witten, who recently turned seven, described his recovery as “beautiful” and expressed gratitude to the doctors who treated him.

Cavernous malformations, also called cavernomas, are uncommon vascular lesions that can occur in the brain and spinal cord. When they bleed, they can cause neurological symptoms such as seizures, weakness, speech difficulties and, when located in the brainstem, life-threatening breathing and swallowing problems. Treatment options depend on the lesion’s size, location and the patient’s symptoms; in some cases neurosurgery is recommended to remove the malformation and prevent further hemorrhage.

Dr. Morcos told reporters, “I thought this could be done. I said let’s transfer you here,” according to media accounts. The family’s decision to seek a second opinion and transfer to a specialized center followed a rapid decline in the child’s condition and a prognosis at the initial hospital that surgery would offer limited improvement, the family said.

The case highlights challenges families and clinicians face when rare neurological conditions mimic common illnesses at onset. Early symptoms of intracranial bleeding can overlap with viral infections, and initial impressions may change as conditions evolve and additional testing is performed. Specialists at comprehensive neurosurgical centers can offer options not always available at smaller hospitals, including advanced imaging, multidisciplinary review and pediatric surgical expertise.

Family members and the treating physicians declined to discuss specific clinical details beyond what was shared with local media. The family’s account of events and the outcome was reported to regional outlets and summarized in a national report on Sept. 14, 2025.

Witten’s recovery continues with routine follow-up care and monitoring for recurrence, his family said. The physicians involved emphasized that decisions about imaging, transfer and surgery are individualized and depend on each patient’s presentation and risks.