Almost one million people in the United States live with multiple sclerosis (M.S.), an autoimmune disease that damages the central nervous system. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, about a quarter of all people with M.S. need someone to help with personal care and daily activities.

One of those people is 46-year-old Alison Lopez, who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Since her diagnosis in 2018, her 14-year-old son, Tylor, has been her primary caregiver. Lopez was a busy single mom, working as a flight paramedic before her diagnosis. She told Fox News Digital, “I was active, on the go and health-orientated.”

However, she noticed extreme fatigue, limb weakness, heat intolerance, and cognitive impairment a few years ago. She said, “None of it made any sense.” After feeling frustrated with local treatment options, Lopez traveled to the Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. Dr. Carrie Hersh, director of the Multiple Sclerosis Health and Wellness program, diagnosed Lopez.

Lopez said, “It felt earth-shattering. At first, I was under the misconception that it was untreatable and a horrible life sentence. Eventually, I came to look at it as a new beginning, a transition to a new and different life.” At the time of her diagnosis, Lopez already had significant brain and spinal cord lesions, said Dr. Hersh. As her symptoms progressed and she started relying on a wheelchair for mobility, her son started helping out. He’s been an essential part of her day-to-day care since then.

“We’ve always been a great team, but this has made us even stronger,” Lopez said. Tylor said he is honored to assume the role of his mother’s caregiver. He told Fox News Digital, “Every night, when I lay my head on the pillow, I think there’s no better reward than knowing that I took care of my loved one today and I made a change.”

However, being the primary caregiver isn’t without challenges. Tylor, who’s homeschooled, said sometimes he worries when he has to leave home. He said, “If I go to a friend’s house, I worry about whether my mom will be okay getting out of bed or going to the bathroom.” Lopez said she encourages her son to have fun and pursue activities he enjoys, but she sometimes worries.

“When he’s not around, I try to be fiercely independent, but deep down, I think there’s always a little anxiety for both of us,” she said. Tylor said he’s learned a lot in his role, especially as he goes to her doctor’s appointments with his mother. He’s actively involved and asks questions about her care while there.

“Sometimes when I struggle with ‘M.S. brain fog,’ he remembers things I forget and ensures I have all the information I need,” Lopez said. To relax and try to de-stress, the teenager said he enjoys playing video games, watching T.V. and spending time with his friends and his mom outside the house. His goal is to one day become a forensic pathologist.

He said he hopes to attend college in a hybrid mode — meaning, half the time at home, half on campus — to allow him to continue caring for his mother; he told Fox News Digital