‘We’re Fully Overwhelmed’ (Unique)

• Ezra Toczek, 5, is affected by end-stage liver illness and is in want of a liver transplant
• Whereas he remained on the transplant record for the previous few months, his former preschool instructor, Carissa Fisher, utilized to be a residing donor
• Ezra’s mom, Karen, solely tells PEOPLE how “overwhelmed” the household is by Fisher’s act

5-year-old Ezra Toczek is receiving the final word present from his former instructor.

The younger boy suffered liver injury at start and has since been combating ongoing well being challenges, resulting in his latest analysis that his liver is failing because of end-stage liver illness.

However Ezra has been given a beacon of hope since becoming a member of the transplant record in February. His former preschool instructor, Carissa Fisher, discovered of her pupil’s situation in March, and with out letting Ezra’s household know, she utilized to grow to be a residing donor. (A living-donor liver transplant happens when a affected person with a wholesome liver donates a portion of theirs to somebody whose liver not works correctly, per the Mayo Clinic.)

Fisher utilized following the trek Ezra and his mom Karen took from Western New York to New York Metropolis, the place they discovered he was in determined want of a liver transplant. 

After Fisher’s utility was submitted, she additionally traveled to New York Metropolis, the place she underwent the required testing. After weeks of ready, Fisher discovered on Friday, Could 24, that she had been permitted to donate a portion of her liver to assist Ezra.

Fisher didn’t wait lengthy to share the excellent news with the Toczek household, and by Saturday, Could 25, she headed straight to the household’s residence with a stuffed animal, balloons, and an indication in tow sharing the good information.

“We’re fully overwhelmed together with her kindness and generosity and sacrifice, and it retains hitting us unexpectedly that it’s actually occurring and we’re actually going to have the ability to transfer ahead, and we’re so grateful,” Karen solely tells PEOPLE. 

She explains to PEOPLE that there aren’t any set dates relating to the transplant as a result of, “Carissa is required to take a seat via a two-week ‘reflection interval’ earlier than the donor workforce can work together with her to schedule a date for surgical procedure.”

As for Ezra’s situation, Karen tells PEOPLE he “is hanging in there.” 

“We’re very lucky that they have been in a position to get him permitted to be listed after they did, fairly than ready till he’s critically ailing,” Karen shares. “He has struggles, fatigue, sleep difficulties, and days the place he simply isn’t feeling effectively, however general he’s a trooper, and finds pleasure and day-after-day.”

After seeing Carissa Saturday, Karen shared the information on Fb later that day. “My mind actually couldn’t course of what I used to be studying till she stated it out loud. Miss Carissa is an ideal match! I can’t even start to specific our gratitude!” 

She continued: “The tears preserve coming, and although I knew we’d be relieved to get the information finally, I had no thought simply how it will hit me! There was no scarcity of affection, generosity, and real kindness from our household, mates, and neighborhood – however this?  Essentially the most wonderful present!!”

“You by no means know who’s life you’ll be altering,” Fisher advised WKBW. “It was emotional. It made me very completely satisfied to see each of them completely satisfied.”

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Together with Karen’s Fb put up, she has shared the replace to the GoFundMe web page elevating cash for her son’s transplant. She shared the thrilling information on Tuesday, Could 28 and concluded the put up by including, “Thanks in your continued help – we’ve got an extended highway forward of us, and it’s getting actual now.”

Along with Karen’s GoFundMe, Fisher has additionally begun elevating cash in a separate GoFundMe web page, which is able to increase cash “for flights, meals, lodging and different journey bills for me and my caregivers that can be there with [her] serving to via the [donation] course of.”