A recent medical scare in Montgomery, Texas, nearly cost 18-year-old Phillip Raglin his life — but thanks to his mother, Leslie Holts, the recent Montgomery High School graduate is alive today. She rushed her son to the emergency room after spotting what seemed like minor symptoms, a decision that led to a life-saving diagnosis of advanced leukemia.
For Holts, last May was supposed to be a time of celebration. Her son, a standout football player, had just graduated and was preparing to move to Los Angeles to play football at Peace College. “He’s finally done with school, and he was getting ready to start his life,” she said.
According to KHOU 11, before the move, Phillip showed his mother small blood spots inside his mouth. Later that day, while at a doctor’s appointment, Holts noticed a bruise on his arm. “Along with the bleeding in his mouth, and then the bruise, that kind of alarmed me,” she said. Trusting her instincts, she took him straight to the ER, where doctors discovered he had an advanced case of leukemia.
Doctors explained that if Phillip had suffered even a minor injury — like bumping his head or getting a paper cut — he could have bled to death. He was rushed to MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he immediately began chemotherapy. The fight was grueling, but Phillip says he leaned on the support of his teammates. “They just told me to keep fighting,” he said. “And I was like, I got it.”
During treatment, Phillip also received an encouraging visit from Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III, who recently overcame leukemia himself. Today, Phillip is in remission and continuing follow-up treatments, with plans to begin college and return to football in about eight months.
Holts now urges other parents to take every symptom seriously. “Don’t ignore any signs whenever your kids come and tell you, even something as small as a bruise,” she said. “If I hadn’t taken him to the hospital, it would’ve cost me my son.” The family is now facing mounting medical expenses, and a GoFundMe page has been launched to help cover the costs.
