When Annzie was six, what started as a routine well visit turned our world upside down. She had always been small for her age, but that visit revealed more: recurring infections and low platelet counts that led to urgent bloodwork. We were referred to hematology, and that began our FA journey.

Israel endured so much in his short life. But even in the hardest moments, he brought so much light. One of my favorite memories from his transplant journey was how he never went by his real name. The first doctor we saw when he was admitted asked him his name, and Israel replied, “Batman.” From then on, he cycled through names from his favorite movies: Randall, Pascal, and eventually Lewis.