Chargers DT Brandon Mebane’s Infant Daughter Passes Away

Amena and Brandon Mebane are in the midst of every parent’s worst nightmare. Makenna Mebane, the couple’s third child, passed away last week after being born premature with trisomy 13, a heart defect. She was less than two months old.

Mebane previously explained to Chargers.com that Makenna was fine immediately after her early November birth, but the Mebanes knew it would be an uphill battle when Makenna suffered from a stomach infection a couple of weeks into her life. This delayed any heart surgeries.

Once the family learned of Makenna’s condition in utero they moved to Nebraska to be near a specialty hospital where Makenna was under constant care. Brandon flew to Nebraska every Monday to be with his family, and would return for each game. Once Makenna was born and her condition worked, Brandon remained in Nebraska, missing the team’s final four regular season games and last week’s playoff game.

Mebane returned to the Chargers facility today, in preparation to play Sunday, and told the L.A. Times’s Mike DiGiovanna “I’m just trying to take it one day at a time. It’s still painful. I thank God every day and still pray. … No matter where I am, I still think about her. I’m just happy I’m still able to play this game.”

He will play this Sunday in New England with a very heavy heart.