Michael's Wish
Kevin Roche (South Bend, Ind./Batavia, N.Y.) -- It has been a long and emotionally draining year for the entire Napoleone family of Batavia. Almost a year ago, the youngest of the family?s four children was diagnosed with leukemia.
His mother Laurie said, ?To watch your child go through all that you have to go through and be hospitalized for weeks at a time has been hard, really hard.?
Michael Napoleone has undergone chemo therapy since his diagnosis, but like many cancer patients he has also had his share of setbacks, with one relapse in April and another in July.
His father Mark said, ?It seems like every time we got some good news, we got bad news.?
Then, just last week, Michael, his parents, and three siblings all received a much needed break away thanks to the
Make-A-Wish-Foundation. The entire family was granted a trip to South Bend Indiana, the home of Notre Dame University and Michael?s favorite football team.
Mark said, ?Since he was able to walk, he would watch Notre Dame football on Saturday afternoon and put the helmet on and run around the living room playing the fight song every time they scored a touchdown.?
The family arrived in South Bend last Thursday. They were taken on a tour of campus and Notre Dame stadium. Michael was generously showered with gifts from the university including a replica jacket like the one Sean Austin wore as Rudy Ruettiger in the 1993 movie ?Rudy.?
Irish head coach Charlie Weis usually doesn?t entertain guests prior to game-day, but he
did welcome Michael and his family to the football offices. The coach posed for pictures with Michael, and passed along a game ball and several souvenirs.
Michael?s favorite player, Jeff Samardzija was also on hand to sign Michael?s #83 jersey.
Lesson in Never Giving Up
Then came what Michael called ?the most exciting part--going to the game. There's nothing like game day especially at Notre Dame.?
The Irish scored first and much to Michael?s delight, it was Samardzija who put the Irish up by seven points, but after that touchdown, the Irish trailed most of the game.
Michael?s mom said, ?They were losing the whole game, and there were flat. They just didn?t play well, and then with 27 seconds left his favorite player scores a touchdown.?
Michael?s dad said it couldn?t have been scripted any better.
Mark said, ?You never give up, you?re not going to give up.?
Although the staduim action is exciting, the family also garnered a different kind of strength from a special place on campus simply known as the grotto.
Laurie said, ?It's just a beautiful place. It's a place for reflection. People were singing and they were doing the daily rosary in the evening and we went there each day and prayed and hoping for the best answers and the best direction for his treatment."
Another Wish Fulfilled
Having endured so many setbacks last year, the Napoleones' prayers were answered when the returned home to Batavia. A perfect donor match
had been found and next week, Michael will head to Boston for a stem-cell transplant.
Laurie states, ?It may sound clich?, but it?s typical, the way the game ended with the Irish pulling out the win was like a little miraculous victory, and now, we?re just hoping for the same with Michael?s treatment.?
For Michael and his family?a miraculous victory like that would be the greatest comeback of all.
A bone marrow donor registry drive will be held Saturday, October 27 at Notre Dame High School in Batavia from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Michael's honor.
