This Precious Pt. Boro 3-Yr-Old Needs Our Love and Help

The Carr family of Point Pleasant Boro has done so much for our community. Buddy Carr alone has helped SO MANY of our kids in Monmouth/Ocean. My heart goes out to Buddy's sister, Danielle (and family), and her little boy Carson. Please read this story and send your support. 

Next month Carson will begin chemotherapy treatment and a bone marrow transplant requiring complete isolation for at least 14 days.

Carson Dratch (Carr) loves to bulldoze sandcastles with his toy trucks, watch the Polar Express with his brother, and slurp down Joe Leone's chicken-noodle soup. But just a couple of months ago, after a regular pediatric visit, a low blood cell count sent Carson for immediate blood work at Brick Hospital.

From Brick Hospital, he was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center ER, rushed into the ICU, and given a blood transfusion. During the transfusion, Carson suffered a brain seizure and was placed in an induced coma and intubated. He was then flown via helicopter to Hackensack Medical Center PICU and was continuously monitored for 2 weeks.

Doctors have diagnosed Carson with a rare bone marrow failure disease, called Aplastic Anemia, complicated by an extremely rare telomere syndrome. The disease inhibits the body from making any blood cells leading to serious health complications including a higher risk for infection, uncontrollable bleeding, and possible fibrosis of the lungs.

Now Carson awaits a bone marrow transplant and spends his days traveling to and from Hackensack Meridian Hospital where he has been undergoing weeks of tests, biopsies, treatments, platelets and blood transfusions to keep him alive.

This has taken a tremendous toll not only on Carson, but also his family: parents Danielle and Doug and his younger brother Henry. So far, hospital bills have amounted to over $100,000 and the family is doing everything they can to make ends meet.

After Carson's chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant and complete isolation, he will remain as an inpatient for 6-8 weeks. Then he will continue traveling to Hackensack twice a week for a minimum of 3 months.

Please consider making a donation and alleviating some of the financial burdens that the Dratch's face during this extremely difficult time. The road ahead for Carson will be tough.

The Dratch/Carr family also encourages registering to become a donor of platelets, blood, and bone marrow to help ALL families in need of treatment for such diseases.

Carson's mom, Danielle, wanted to add that she wants everyone to know how much fun this family has together. They dance, sing, play, laugh, read together, do art projects, explore, and go on adventures to the beach. She says Carson loves to swim, go to the park (he's a climber) and the lake.

She and Doug tried for 5 years to get pregnant and weren't sure they'd ever get to have children. But then, with a lot of love and prayers, they were blessed with the birth of Carson (and then they were blessed a second time with Carson's brother Henry.)

Danielle says Carson couldn't be a better big brother. He plays with Henry, takes care of him, and is just so sweet as a big brother. Carson also spends a lot of time with his grandmother, Mommom (Carole Carr). Carson always makes sure Mommom has a chair to sit in and insists she sits close to him when they are reading or watching TV together.

While at the hospital, the doctors and nurses have been so attentive, so sweet, kind, loving, and so helpful. Carson tells the nurses he loves them even though they stick and poke him with needles.

Carson is a kind and good boy. He has a great sense of humor. He laughs, teases the family, and simply loves life!

On a personal note, I have known Buddy Carr (little Carson's uncle) for many years. Buddy has touched the lives of SO many kids in the Ocean/Monmouth area. I have never met a greater male role model. You may recognize him from the Point Boro school system or as the owner/instructor from the driving school that is named after his family. I have said many, many times on the air that my boys and I are blessed to know him. He has given better advice to my boys than even I ever could.

So for all that he alone (not to mention the rest of the Carr family) has done for our community, let's come together with love, prayers, support, and maybe a few dollars each.

If you can help, CLICK HERE.