After a wrestling match in February of 2022, Pete had complained of pains in his abdomen. As symptoms got more severe, Pete was seen by doctors and underwent several tests to determine what was going on. Ultimately, on February 10th, our Pete was diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma, a rare form of cancer that attacks the liver and lungs.
As the youngest of three kids, he was fifteen at the time of his diagnosis. Like so many others honored by St Baldrick’s, Pete was an amazing kid. He was a standout athlete, excelling on the football field and in the wrestling gym. In fact, the promise of getting back into these sports was part of what drove him. Due to his treatments and the physical toll of his cancer, he was unable to get on the field or on the mat, but he never surrendered his dream of getting back out there. His strength and positive spirit were undoubtedly a huge part of what drove him to fight against his disease. It also provided us with unstoppable faith and hope that he would beat this monster that took over his body. We were so fortunate to have tremendous doctors -especially at the Dana Farber Institute in Boston- fighting along with us during 'standard' and 'alternative' trials involving various forms of chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments.
Despite all efforts and his will to live and thrive, Pete passed away on December 19, 2023 at the age of 17. While we miss his physical presence, his spirit lives on with us and those who knew Pete were touched by his vibrant personality and fun-loving behavior. We are blessed to have had Pete in our lives.
