12-Year-Old Collinsville Girl Battling Rare Disease Known As 'Brain On Fire'

A Collinsville family is leaning on prayer after their 12-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease where her immune system attacks her brain.

That girl's mother says it's a terrifying situation. 

12-year-old Anyiah Johnson's life was filled with basketball, friends, and time with her family.

Her mom, Rosemary said Anyiah is a helper with a big heart.

"She loves animals, her friends," said Rosemary. "She does great in school she's an athlete."

But last month, that all changed, and a hospital room became her new home.

Anyiah had a seizure, but it took several doctor's visits and misdiagnoses before finding out she had a disease called autoimmune encephalitis, or "brain on fire."

"Her immune system is attacking her brain and her brain is terrorizing her body," said Rosemary.

The disease causes people to have angry or emotional episodes and essentially causes the person to lose control of their brain.

"She's in bad condition, and it's scary for a parent to see how bad their child can't control herself," said Rosemary.

Rosemary said she's been at a hospital with Anyiah for almost a month and it's been heartbreaking for her family.

"You don't know what to do," she said. "Every day is different."

Rosemary said the bright spot has been all the support from people in the Collinsville community, who are taking care of her two other daughters and helping her family financially and with prayers.

"We have amazing people in our lives."

Anyiah is getting ready for a new treatment and Rosemary hopes her daughter will start getting better.

"I never in my life would have imagined something like that would have happened to us," said Rosemary.

"We just want our baby back," she said.

Fore more information on how you can donate to help the Johnson family pay for medical & travel expenses, Click Here.