Meet Everett—first grader, dinosaur enthusiast, and all-around bundle of joy! His contagious laughter and bubbly personality make him a friend to all, especially at school, where students and staff alike greet him with big smiles and high-fives. But what makes Everett truly extraordinary is his journey of resilience and strength.
At just 15 weeks in utero, Everett suffered from a bladder outlet obstruction, which meant he couldn’t get rid of urine, which led to kidney failure while he was still in his mom’s womb. His mother, Sarah, underwent painful infusions to give him the amniotic fluid he needed to develop properly. The biggest fear? That Everett’s lungs wouldn’t be strong enough to help him survive birth.
But Everett had other plans.
Born at just 30 weeks in July of 2018, Everett entered the world with a fierce, tiny scream that Sarah, still remembers like it was yesterday. From that moment, it was clear—this little fighter wasn’t going anywhere.
The hospital became Everett’s second home as he endured an astonishing 213-day stay, starting dialysis at just three days old and undergoing multiple surgeries, including a colostomy within his first 24 hours. By three weeks old, doctors also discovered a brain injury, causing developmental delays.
Then came 2020—a year that tested Everett’s strength like never before. It began with a life-threatening GI bleed that doctors feared he wouldn’t survive. Miraculously, he pulled through, but his battle wasn’t over. He still needed a kidney donor.
Just when hope seemed dim, a miracle happened- Sarah was a perfect match for a kidney transplant! By the end of the year, Everett received the ultimate gift: a new kidney and a renewed chance at life.
“He’s got my kidney, and I’m always yelling at him to take care of it because I have no more to give!” Sarah jokes.
After spending most holidays and birthdays in the hospital, Everett was elated when he had his third birthday party at home for the first time. However, they had no idea what was to come a few days later.
As if kidney failure and countless surgeries weren’t enough, Everett was hit with another challenge. Everett was diagnosed with cancer after the doctors found a tumor developing in his small intestine, a result of a rare side effect of his transplant medication.
Still, Everett did what Everett does—he fought.
He crushed chemo, baffling everyone when his hair didn’t fall out but instead grew back thicker and curlier! And by 2022, he was in remission, proving once again that nothing—not even cancer—could keep him down.
“He just bounces back. That’s the miracle of Everett, nothing can knock him down.”
The O’Connors moved to St. Louis in 2023 to be closer to the resources Everett needed to thrive, including Variety St. Louis. The timing couldn’t have been better, as Everett had outgrown all his essential medical equipment. After all, when you beat cancer, you don’t just survive—you GROW.
But moving to Missouri came with a challenge: losing Illinois Medicaid benefits. Now, with just one income and increasing medical expenses, the family was struggling to get Everett the upgraded equipment he needed.
With Variety’s support, Everett received a new stroller, activity chair, gait trainer, stander, toilet chair, and AFOs—tools that aren’t just about mobility but about independence, play, and inclusion.
“The equipment from Variety was a godsend,” Sarah shares. “It has empowered Everett to play independently and safely, giving him more opportunities to socialize and interact.”
Despite encountering more medical challenges than most face in a lifetime—along with new obstacles each year—Everett remains a resilient, joyful, dinosaur-loving kiddo cherished by his friends, family, and community.
“We are so thankful to the donors who support families like ours. It can be so difficult for parents to work full-time when they’re managing so many medical appointments and challenges. Your generosity means everything to us.”
Join Variety’s mission today to empower families like the O’Connors, changing their life in ways once thought impossible.
