At 6 years old, Jeremiah was the youngest member sworn into the Manatee County and Miami Police Department. When he wasn't helping keep the streets safe like his favorite superheroes, Jeremiah liked to dance and play with other kids. He loved having fun in the sun and spent a lot of time at the beach or by the pool. Although he’d rather be fighting crime, Jeremiah put his strength and spirit to good use in his fight against cancer.

His battle began in November 2019, when he developed hip pain that caused him to limp. When it reached the point that Jeremiah grew feverish and was no longer willing to walk, his family began searching for answers. After countless conversations with the pediatrician, stays in the emergency room, and numerous medical tests, the only conclusion drawn was that he was anemic and needed blood transfusions.

When Jeremiah’s pain and limp persisted, he was referred to a hematologist, rheumatologist and orthopedic specialist for additional testing. The fruitless cycle of doctors, tests and perplexing results continued until one day when he woke up before a body scan with bruises surrounding his eye. It took a urine test and a full-body scan for confirmation. Just two weeks before his fourth birthday, Jeremiah was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.

His treatment took him up and down the east coast between Miami, Boston and his Florida home. Whether his family was driving an hour away every week to their local hospital, meeting in Miami for a stem cell harvest, or traveling to Boston for MIBG therapy, they went to any length to get Jeremiah the help he needed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this had been particularly difficult since flying wasn’t the safest option for Jeremiah’s weakened immune system, and only one parent could stay with him in the hospital.

His family received care packages from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) that gave them the supplies they needed to travel safely during COVID. Jeremiah’s mom, Daniela, says that she “couldn’t be more grateful” for the outstanding support they received from ALSF. Although Jeremiah’s journey had been more challenging than anticipated due to the pandemic, his family was always hopeful of a bright future when he finished with treatment. On July 26th, 2021, Jeremiah was declared NED (no evidence of disease) with clear scans. He was doing well enough to appear as the first Jr. Grand Marshal for the North Miama Police Thanksgiving Parade.

Sadly, Jeremiah passed away on November 13, 2022.

Information provided by Daniela
Updated January 2023