Fort Worth, Texas,
16
July
2016
|
06:26 AM
America/Chicago

Micah: A real superhero

Patient's inspirational fight against life-threatening form of cancer

Micah Ahern isn’t your typical 7 year old who likes superheroes. Micah IS a superhero.

After all, he has the attributes that it takes to make one – he’s courageous, brave, has incredible strength and never gives up. He even has his own logo.

And like every superhero he has an amazing origin story.

Micah's parents were students in China when he was 1 year old. His mom, Linda, and dad, Maurice, noticed half of his face was sweaty and the other half was pale white with no sweat at all as if someone drew a line down the center of his face. At first, this happened about once a month, but then it became a daily routine. Soon, it wasn’t just his face any longer, but the left side of his chest, back and whole left arm. 

At a work conference, Linda took Micah to a doctor in Thailand. He was referred to a neurologist in Bangkok where an MRI discovered a massive tumor in his chest and spine.

The family moved back to America where Micah was diagnosed with ganglioneuroblastoma, a life-threatening form of cancer. Since his diagnosis, Micah has faced a heart-wrenching 10 operations and a life of immense pain. He has been on hospice care since June.

On July 7, Micah left for Camp Sanguinity with his siblings, Grace, Nolan and Eden Kate. That evening, Micah had what Linda describes as a “severe pain crisis.” He is currently at Cook Children’s where he is receiving antibiotics and care for an infection around the tumors in his jaw and cheekbone around the eye.

He’s in a lot of pain, as he has been for so much of his young life, but nothing can stop his love for sports, Legos and of course, superheroes. And like any superhero, he continues to fight and motivate.

“You would never want your child to have this disease,” Linda said. “But we are humbled and amazed at the influence of Micah. He has been an inspiration to so many people, including his mom and dad.”

Micah became an inspiration for the TCU baseball team beginning in 2013. Micah and his parents traveled to Omaha, Neb. to cheer on the Horned Frogs at this year’s College World Series.

The Horned Frogs carried constant reminders of Micah with them, wearing his letter M logo on their caps and T-shirts.

“He’s the toughest 7-year-old I’ve ever seen,” TCU catcher Evan Skoug told the Star-Telegram. “They say that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. And we’ve seen that’s true with Micah.”

Now Micah faces something far tougher than any supervillain in a comic book and that’s what makes him tougher than any superhero you’ve ever seen. He’s fought against cancer and through it all has inspired people everywhere.

“It’s his personality,” Maurice said of his little boy. “He’s always happy and smiling. He likes to be silly like any child his age. But he also has great strength. We like to say, ‘Never, ever give up.' He’s inspired the TCU baseball team and others to not give up. Micah has been through a lot and he keeps going.”

Micah’s family asks for your prayers for their son and if you would like to help children with neuroblastoma please click here.

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