By Elizabeth Landry, staff writer
Gavin Jerzak is only 9 years old, yet he’s been through a liver, kidney and bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, dialysis, cataract surgery, broken bones and more. Through all of his struggles, though, he remains a happy little boy, as his mother, Dana Jerzak, explained.
“[Gavin] wakes up every day with a smile on his face. … He’s amazing. He’s been through more than most people will ever go through in a million lifetimes,” she said.
Born with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia, Gavin received a liver transplant from a deceased donor when he was just 17 months old. He went on to develop kidney and immune system issues, and received both a kidney and a bone marrow transplant from Dana a couple of years ago.
For his body to accept the new immune system that came along with the bone marrow transplant, Gavin had to undergo chemotherapy, and the family also drove to Albany three times per week for years for him to receive dialysis. His complex medical condition cannot be cared for locally, and so the main hospital where he receives care is in Boston, which his family drives him to each week for treatment — a long trip from their home in Sauquoit, Oneida County.
“Unfortunately, he doesn’t know health,” Dana said. “He’s spent his life in and out of hospitals, and he’s never known what it feels like to be healthy.”
Gavin’s current medical state requires another liver transplant, which Dana also intends to provide for her son, but he’s not healthy enough yet to undergo the procedure. To hold him over in the meantime, he received a shunt in his liver a few months ago, and it’s been working well so far, Dana said.
Faith formation students in Celia Domser’s class at St. Leo-St. Ann’s, pictured with the Easter basket they made for Gavin.
‘Please pray for him’
When Celia Domser learned about Gavin’s story, she knew she had to do something. The faith formation teacher for fourth, fifth and sixth grade students at St. Leo-St. Ann’s Parish in Holland Patent, Celia collaborated with her students to send their support and prayers for Gavin and his family. They made cards to send to him a few times, and they recently made Gavin an Easter basket.
“I’m trying to teach the kids [in faith formation class] that you’ve got it made in the shade when you’re not sick, and if you can pray and help somebody else out — especially when prayers are coming from kids — it’s an amazing, amazing thing,” Celia said.
She felt called to share his story with the Sun, so that more and more people can offer their prayers for Gavin and his family.
“It’s an amazing story and I truly believe he’s a miracle,” Celia said. ”I know there’s tons of people praying for him, but [it would be great] to open it up to the whole diocese to say ‘please pray for him.’”
Intercession from Blessed Carlo Acutis
Dana shared that Gavin loves to go to church – the family worships at Mary, Mother of Our Savior in Utica — but he can’t attend right now due to his newly developing immune system. He was fortunate enough to receive his First Holy Communion in the hospital in Boston, where the family stayed for 15 months during Gavin’s transplants. They were connected with a local priest who “came almost weekly and we became really good friends with him,” said Dana.
“He actually did [Gavin’s] First Communion right there in the hospital room. It was wonderful. … it was beautiful that he did that.”
Right before Gavin received the shunt in his liver, Dana’s mother-in-law was able to have a Third Class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis sent to the family from New Jersey. During this time, Father Jason Hage, pastor at Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish, also brought a First Class relic to their home, said some prayers for Gavin and prayed over him with the relic.
Even now, Dana said, “Gavin keeps the Carlo Acutis medals on his neck all the time.”
With prayers from people across the diocese and beyond, along with intercession from Blessed Carlo Acutis, who is scheduled to be canonized a saint on April 27, Celia’s biggest hope is that Gavin will “flower and grow and make it through all this.
“He’s a miracle,” she added. “He’s an amazing little boy.”
