Skyler support

Four days after New Year’s Eve, 11-year-old Skyler Esparza was diagnosed with leukemia.

Two days later, he started chemotherapy.

Less than two weeks after, donations for his treatment began pouring in from the Jay County community.

Even now, nearly four months following Skyler’s diagnosis, there are still fundraising efforts in the works.

“Everything’s happened so quickly,” said Tony Esparza, Skyler’s dad. “There’s so many things that people have done or (are) doing.”



Diagnosis

Tony and Jennifer Esparza, Skyler’s mother, took their son to the doctor initially at the end of December. He was diagnosed with strep throat. After five days on antibiotics, nothing had changed. Skyler still had a swollen throat and lymph nodes, and no appetite.

A quick blood draw at Skyler’s next appointment Jan. 4 helped determine the real cause: leukemia.

Skyler was taken immediately to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis for further treatment.

He was diagnosed with acute myelogenous (or myeloid) leukemia, a type of cancer that starts in the bone marrow and can move quickly into the blood and to other parts of the body. According to the American Cancer Society website, it can progress rapidly if not treated.

Its treatment also uses higher doses of chemo over a shorter period of time, which can cause serious potential risks.



Seeking donations

After Skyler’s diagnosis, his brother, Darius, hosted a fundraiser on his video game Fortnite livestream. Tony’s lifelong friend, Brock Myers — “Uncle Brock” to Skyler and his siblings — asked Darius to do a fundraiser livestream again so he could push it on Facebook. That soon led to incentivizing fundraising goals and shaving heads and beards for the cause.

“It kind of took off from there,” Tony explained.

Several fundraisers and other donation methods –– such as change jars –– cropped up in the county in January and February. A few local efforts included the following:

•Some of Skyler’s friends’ moms, Mandi Glassford (son Cooper) and Amy Mikulski (son Julian), worked with T-Flyerz owner Chase Ainsworth to design a t-shirt and sell it, with all profits going to the family.

•Erin Bright handled a silent auction online with more than 200 items donated.

•East Jay Elementary and East Elementary schools hosted a dress-up week to collect donations and sold more than 620 t-shirts.

•Jay Community Center held a laundry detergent fundraiser.

Also, Chris Snow walked door-to-door to local businesses asking for support and spreading the word about the Esparzas. Snow read about Skyler’s condition on Facebook while sitting in the dentist’s office.

“I’m reading this, and I’m getting tears in my eyes,” Snow recalled. He thought of his son, Nick, who is the same age as Skyler, and decided he would help by asking for donations from local businesses.

“The outpouring of support for that family –– it makes me proud to be a part of this community,” Snow said.



Looking ahead

Both Tony and Jennifer take turns staying with Skyler while he’s receiving treatment in Indianapolis. (Current coronavirus restrictions only allow one parent to stay at a time.)

Skyler was in remission in February. According to the cancer society website, between 85% and 90% of children with acute myeloid leukemia go into remission after induction, the first main phase of chemotherapy. Although no signs of the leukemia are present at this point, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has been cured.

“He’s been pretty much the same … he’s an 11-year-old kid that’s stuck on a hospital floor,” Tony said in a February interview.

In April, Skyler spent two weeks in the intensive care unit for an infection during his third round of chemo. Skyler had some brain bleeding and paralysis on his right side, so he also did rehabilitation treatment for a week and a half before recovering.

(Despite COVID-19 restrictions, both Tony and Jennifer were allowed to be present simultaneously when their son was deemed in critical condition and moved to intensive care.)

Skyler was able to return home this week. On Wednesday, he will turn 12. He’s also starting his last chemotherapy treatment next week.

“(We) had a scary third round,” Tony admitted. “We’ve just got to cross our fingers for round four.”



Grateful family

The Esparzas noted they’re grateful for all the donations. Tony added if the fundraising surpasses their financial needs, they will find a way to give back to the community.

“A very big thank-you out to everyone,” Jennifer said. “There’s just no way to personally thank every single person.”

“Let’s Ride 4 Sky,” a benefit ride for the Esparza family, is scheduled for May 22 at the Portland American Legion. Registration begins at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $20 per bike or $25 with a rider and $10 per car load. For more information, check the Facebook event page at bit.ly/3nBbwm4.