Brothers, Kidneys, COVID and Care
Donation protected
Two amazing young men, Wyatt (19) and Nick (20), were brought together as [step]brothers (along with two other brothers, one not pictured, and a sister) as result of the marriage of their parents, Maryanne and Jeff.
Wyatt, Maryanne’s son, has lived with kidney damage since birth. When it became apparent that a kidney transplant was imperative to save Wyatt’s life, the search began for a kidney/donor match. The wait was painfully long, and the testing to find a suitable match was intensive. As the months past, the family remained hopeful, but Wyatt became steadily weaker and his health continued to suffer.
Nick, Jeff’s son, is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), as he’d known from an early age that he wanted to help save lives every single day. During the past few years of Maryanne and Jeff’s marriage, Nick witnessed the negative effects Wyatt’s failing kidney had on his quality of life – missed outings with friends, a highly restrictive diet, and an inability to continue playing volleyball (to name a few) – and weighed heavily on Nick.
After much contemplation, Nick decided he wanted to test to see if he could possibly be a match for Wyatt. And, after weeks of testing, Nick was found to be an almost perfect match! So, the transplant surgery was finally scheduled.
On November 18, 2020, Nick’s kidney was extracted at USC Medical Center, while Wyatt was at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles prepping to receive Nick’s kidney. Both surgeries were deemed successful; the recoveries are underway.
NICK
WYATT
Maryanne, a Registered Nurse, suffers with her own medical challenges. Sadly, the mounting stress and anxiety became too burdensome for her to handle and she was placed on disability to protect her already fragile health. Then, in July, her employer let her go. So, while this beautiful act of brothers giving and receiving finally came to fruition, it came with an additional price - the health of Maryanne coupled with her loss of income.
Jeff, an electrical contractor, like many, has had his own hurdles in operating his business during the COVID-19 pandemic. These past months he’s continued working with his clients (though many have delayed projects over fear of the coronavirus – another loss in income), helped Maryanne in stabilizing her own health, and has also taken on the logistics of both sons undergoing surgery simultaneously.
Another brother, sweet Blake (20), has Down syndrome and mild autism and is therefore unable to stay alone. His education has continued, but COVID has kept him home learning virtually which requires additional help and coordination. Maryanne and Jeff’s unwavering desire to provide Blake the care and attention he needs, and also the ability to help the other brothers through their long healing process, is strapping them in time, financial resources, and is taking its toll on their mental and physical well-being.
The financial outlay for one transplant surgery under normal circumstances can be enormous, add that to the extraction, and it seems insurmountable. Maryanne and Jeff will need to continue to juggle their time over the next few months. Wyatt is required to quarantine for at least 90 days once he’s home from the hospital, and Nick will be unable to return to work for nearly two months as he recovers. There is the obvious need for financial help with medical expenses, but day-to-day support for this family would be a blessing.
This GoFundMe is a request to give generously to this family during such a challenging time.
Wyatt, Maryanne’s son, has lived with kidney damage since birth. When it became apparent that a kidney transplant was imperative to save Wyatt’s life, the search began for a kidney/donor match. The wait was painfully long, and the testing to find a suitable match was intensive. As the months past, the family remained hopeful, but Wyatt became steadily weaker and his health continued to suffer.
Nick, Jeff’s son, is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), as he’d known from an early age that he wanted to help save lives every single day. During the past few years of Maryanne and Jeff’s marriage, Nick witnessed the negative effects Wyatt’s failing kidney had on his quality of life – missed outings with friends, a highly restrictive diet, and an inability to continue playing volleyball (to name a few) – and weighed heavily on Nick.
After much contemplation, Nick decided he wanted to test to see if he could possibly be a match for Wyatt. And, after weeks of testing, Nick was found to be an almost perfect match! So, the transplant surgery was finally scheduled.
On November 18, 2020, Nick’s kidney was extracted at USC Medical Center, while Wyatt was at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles prepping to receive Nick’s kidney. Both surgeries were deemed successful; the recoveries are underway.
NICK
WYATT
Maryanne, a Registered Nurse, suffers with her own medical challenges. Sadly, the mounting stress and anxiety became too burdensome for her to handle and she was placed on disability to protect her already fragile health. Then, in July, her employer let her go. So, while this beautiful act of brothers giving and receiving finally came to fruition, it came with an additional price - the health of Maryanne coupled with her loss of income.
Jeff, an electrical contractor, like many, has had his own hurdles in operating his business during the COVID-19 pandemic. These past months he’s continued working with his clients (though many have delayed projects over fear of the coronavirus – another loss in income), helped Maryanne in stabilizing her own health, and has also taken on the logistics of both sons undergoing surgery simultaneously.
Another brother, sweet Blake (20), has Down syndrome and mild autism and is therefore unable to stay alone. His education has continued, but COVID has kept him home learning virtually which requires additional help and coordination. Maryanne and Jeff’s unwavering desire to provide Blake the care and attention he needs, and also the ability to help the other brothers through their long healing process, is strapping them in time, financial resources, and is taking its toll on their mental and physical well-being.
The financial outlay for one transplant surgery under normal circumstances can be enormous, add that to the extraction, and it seems insurmountable. Maryanne and Jeff will need to continue to juggle their time over the next few months. Wyatt is required to quarantine for at least 90 days once he’s home from the hospital, and Nick will be unable to return to work for nearly two months as he recovers. There is the obvious need for financial help with medical expenses, but day-to-day support for this family would be a blessing.
This GoFundMe is a request to give generously to this family during such a challenging time.
Co-organizers (3)
Kristina Zimmerman
Organizer
Santa Clarita, CA
Jeff Clericuzio
Beneficiary
Maryanne Leiby
Co-organizer