Parker is a fun and outgoing teenager, a football player, swimmer, and aspiring roller coaster designer. He’s a big fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, Missouri Tigers, and St. Louis Cardinals. While he was in the hospital, his favorite things to do were building LEGOs and playing Xbox with his friends.

Back in March 2024, Parker had gotten flu B from his younger brothers. It kicked his butt, and he wasn’t getting better by Easter – he was getting worse. Parker had begun vomiting. His parents took him to Urgent Care on April 2 for increased abdominal pain, concerned it was his appendix. However, test results showed inflamed lymph nodes all around his stomach with low blood counts. Parker had anemia in the past, and so even the nurses thought there was no rush for a follow-up. Parker’s next appointment was scheduled for over two weeks later, on April 19.

The morning of his appointment, Parker and his mom, Emily, who was eight months pregnant at the time, went to see the last ultrasound of his baby brother before visiting Parker’s doctor. Parker hadn’t had any more stomach pains, and only went to get more labs drawn, then had a normal day.

That evening, the family went out to get some ice cream before dinner. While deciding what to order, Parker’s dad told the cashier, “I love your shirt.” He was wearing a childhood cancer foundation support shirt. Emily says the memory sticks out in her mind because, after they enjoyed their ice cream and got back in the car, the dreaded phone call came. She thought they would just tell her Parker was going to start on some iron. Instead, they told her that in Parker’s recent labs, they had enough blood to see that even his platelets were low… and it was all pointing to leukemia.

“She said ‘the ER will be expecting us in the next two hours, pack a bag and expect to stay for a while’,” said Emily. “I was hysterical. Telling your 13-year-old this news is the hardest thing ever to do.”

That same night, Parker was admitted for his first round of chemotherapy. In between each round, he was able to return home for about a week. His fifth and final round of treatment started on his 14th birthday. It was tough – Parker ended up with a bacterial strep infection, pneumonia, ARDS, respiratory failure and partial lung collapse. He was also sent to the PICU, where he was intubated for 13 days with neutropenic colitis and almost didn’t make it. But 56 days later, on November 19, Parker finally went home! He rang the bell to signal the end of treatment on January 14, a day he will never forget.

Today, Parker is doing well. He’s enjoying life back home with his three brothers and goes to physical therapy once a week to build back his strength. Parker dreams of visiting every amusement park in the world and playing football in college or as a professional. He is a hero to his family and community, inspiring others with his story. His family is full of proud jokers, and he loves to keep making days fun even when they aren’t so fun.

Emily wants others who may be facing a childhood cancer diagnosis to know: “This journey, and life in general, is like a roller coaster ride! There are many ups and downs, but you also make it how you want. You can be scared and sad, or you can make it fun even when it is so scary!” said Emily.

Parker, Emily, and their family hope that a cure will be found for all cancers and believe foundations like Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation are helping that happen.

Information provided by Emily L., Parker’s mom
Updated February 2024