Before cancer entered our world, Brody was a carefree, fun-loving 16-year-old. He was a dedicated student-athlete who loved nothing more than playing baseball with his team. As the youngest of our two boys and the little brother to Jake, he brought so much joy, energy, and laughter to our family.
But everything changed over Mother’s Day weekend in May 2024.
Brody wasn’t feeling well; we thought it might be something simple like mono. On Monday, May 13, he saw the doctor. Instead of reassurance, we were told he needed a blood transfusion immediately. Within hours, we were in an ambulance being transported to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.
The next morning, the doctor came into our room and gently told us she suspected leukemia. By Wednesday, that fear became our devastating reality. Brody was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL), a rare and aggressive combination of AML and ALL, affecting only about 3% of leukemia patients.
Our world stopped.
By Thursday, Brody underwent surgery to have his port placed. Chemotherapy began that Friday, just days after his diagnosis. At first, the plan followed the ALL protocol, a 2.5-year treatment plan that would allow him to stay mostly at home with regular hospital visits. But after the first month, a bone marrow biopsy revealed that the leukemia wasn’t responding well.
We had to pivot.
Brody was switched to a more aggressive protocol, and we were told he would need to live in the hospital for several months. If remission was achieved, a bone marrow transplant would be necessary. So, for the next five months, Brody and I moved into the hospital and began the fight of our lives.
We did our best to make the days bearable. On good days, we’d shoot hoops at the hospital’s basketball court. On hard days when we couldn’t leave the floor, we walked laps in the hallway just to keep him moving. I even bought a projector and hung a sheet on the wall so we could have movie nights in his room. Brody found joy in the small things like pulling funny pranks on his nurses and doctors to keep everyone laughing. That was his spirit: strong, goofy, and full of heart.
The months were grueling.
The chemo was harsh. Brody had no immune system, which made him incredibly vulnerable to infections. He underwent multiple surgeries and countless setbacks. Yet, through it all, he never gave up.
On September 10, 2024, Brody had another bone marrow biopsy. And on September 16, we got the news we’d been praying for; he was in remission.
That moment brought so much relief, but it also meant preparing for the next big step, his bone marrow transplant. We were blessed to learn that Brody had a 100% anonymous donor match, a selfless stranger willing to give him a second chance at life. We’ll never stop being grateful for that gift.
In July, while Brody was still undergoing treatment, his girlfriend’s mom, Mary, reached out about Blood Cancer United’s (formerly LLS) Light The Night walk. She wanted to organize a team in Brody’s honor. That’s how Team Just Beat It was born. The event took place on November 3, 2024, just days before Brody’s transplant. Because he and I were already in quarantine, we couldn’t attend, but our phones lit up with FaceTimes, photos, and messages from family and friends walking in support. Brody felt every bit of their love and made a promise that night, “Next year, I’ll walk it myself.”
On November 6, we checked into Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital to begin the transplant process. Brody had to undergo another intense round of chemotherapy to prepare his body for the transplant.
On November 15, 2024, he received his bone marrow transplant, his new beginning.
The weeks that followed were tough. He was weak, nauseous, and isolated, but he stayed true to who he was. He pulled pranks on his new nurses, wore silly hats to cheer up the younger kids on the floor, and found ways to bring smiles to others, even during the hardest days.
Finally, on December 13, we got the incredible news that Brody could be discharged from the hospital. While he wasn’t ready to go home just yet, we were able to move into a nearby hotel to stay close for monitoring and follow-up care.
For the next few months, we lived there, celebrating small victories and cautiously stepping into recovery. On Valentine’s Day 2025, we finally returned home.
Brody remains in remission today and continues to follow a chemotherapy protocol that was advanced due to the incredible research Blood Cancer United has conducted to help keep him there. We're excited for him to join his classmates in his senior year, as well as attend the University of Tampa next year, playing baseball. His journey is far from over, but he faces every step with the same courage, humor, and determination that carried him through the darkest days.
Brody
mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL)
