Boy's courage lives on, even after 28 surgeries
SEATTLE -- Twenty-eight surgeries is an unthinkable number for anyone. But for a fourth grader, it requires a lot of courage.
Jake Finkbonner has that kind of courage and a lot of faith. He almost lost his life to an aggressive form of flesh-eating bacteria four years ago, but today is back playing basketball and baseball.
The 10-year-old Ferndale boy and his family just finished a follow up visit with Dr. Richard Hopper, craniofacial surgeon at Children's Hospital and Medical Center. Hopper operated on Jake in January for the 28th time. Over the last few years, he's removed thick scars from the boy's face, and re-built his lips, eyelids, and cheeks.
For the Finkbonners, Dr. Hopper is a gift.
"There was just a little bit of his nose left and a little bit of skin by his ears," said Dr. Hopper. "All the skin around his eyes has been replaced, all the skin around his cheeks and lips has been replaced."
Though some of his scars are starting to fade, the memories still stir up nightmares.
Jake was just 6 when he cut his lip in a basketball game. An aggressive flesh-eating bacteria called Strep A got into that cut and began to devour his flesh.
For two weeks, Dr. Hopper and his team at Seattle Children's tried to stay ahead of the infection, removing more of his face every day. But his family was told to say goodbye.
"We knew he was close...he was there," says Jake's dad, Donny, through tears. "We had a whole family here praying for him...aunts and uncles, grandparents. We lifted him up that day and told him 'Thy Will be Done.' It's in God's hands. That was the turning point. The next day, things started to turn around."
The prayers spread from the Finkbonner's hometown of Ferndale around the world, after their priest called for the intercession of Takekwitha Kateri, a Native American girl who died 350 years ago, after a short life of devotion to the Catholic faith and caring for the sick. Ravaged by small pox, it is said the scars on her face vanished when she died.
"My grandma said to pray to Blessed Kateri," said Jake. "And when they did, that's when I thought the whole thing happened. It was her all along. I've been believing ever since then that she should become a saint."
And that's what the Vatican is now trying to decide, interviewing all involved in Jake's case to see if his survival can be called a miracle, paving the way for the Blessed Kateri to become "Saint Kateri."
"Whether the church chooses to recognize Blessed Kateri as having a part of it, or interceding for it, that's the church's discretion," said Jake's mom, Elsa. "It's an honor to be part of the whole sainthood process. But we know Jake is a miracle."
Jake says he feels a lot better about his face.
"Not very many people are asking about my scars. Out of 100 percent, now there's about 50 or 30 percent asking," he says with a smile.
Dr. Hopper says the surgeries that happen next will be up to Jake, but will probably only happen once a year.
"It's very gratifying, just working with a child with that kind of spirit and that wonderful a family," Dr. Hopper said. "It would be nice to do more, faster, but one thing we realize if you push a child through too many surgeries too fast, it can really have a bad effect."
Jake's mom said each time Jake goes in for surgery, it's like opening the emotional wounds again.
"I think he's had more than his fair share of surgeries, anxieties and nightmares," she said.
"He's been through a lot at the same time as rare as his case was, and the whole situation we were thrown into, there's always somebody who has it worse. We are grateful we at least got to bring him home."
Jake Finkbonner has that kind of courage and a lot of faith. He almost lost his life to an aggressive form of flesh-eating bacteria four years ago, but today is back playing basketball and baseball.
The 10-year-old Ferndale boy and his family just finished a follow up visit with Dr. Richard Hopper, craniofacial surgeon at Children's Hospital and Medical Center. Hopper operated on Jake in January for the 28th time. Over the last few years, he's removed thick scars from the boy's face, and re-built his lips, eyelids, and cheeks.
For the Finkbonners, Dr. Hopper is a gift.
"There was just a little bit of his nose left and a little bit of skin by his ears," said Dr. Hopper. "All the skin around his eyes has been replaced, all the skin around his cheeks and lips has been replaced."
Though some of his scars are starting to fade, the memories still stir up nightmares.
Jake was just 6 when he cut his lip in a basketball game. An aggressive flesh-eating bacteria called Strep A got into that cut and began to devour his flesh.
For two weeks, Dr. Hopper and his team at Seattle Children's tried to stay ahead of the infection, removing more of his face every day. But his family was told to say goodbye.
"We knew he was close...he was there," says Jake's dad, Donny, through tears. "We had a whole family here praying for him...aunts and uncles, grandparents. We lifted him up that day and told him 'Thy Will be Done.' It's in God's hands. That was the turning point. The next day, things started to turn around."
The prayers spread from the Finkbonner's hometown of Ferndale around the world, after their priest called for the intercession of Takekwitha Kateri, a Native American girl who died 350 years ago, after a short life of devotion to the Catholic faith and caring for the sick. Ravaged by small pox, it is said the scars on her face vanished when she died.
"My grandma said to pray to Blessed Kateri," said Jake. "And when they did, that's when I thought the whole thing happened. It was her all along. I've been believing ever since then that she should become a saint."
And that's what the Vatican is now trying to decide, interviewing all involved in Jake's case to see if his survival can be called a miracle, paving the way for the Blessed Kateri to become "Saint Kateri."
"Whether the church chooses to recognize Blessed Kateri as having a part of it, or interceding for it, that's the church's discretion," said Jake's mom, Elsa. "It's an honor to be part of the whole sainthood process. But we know Jake is a miracle."
Jake says he feels a lot better about his face.
"Not very many people are asking about my scars. Out of 100 percent, now there's about 50 or 30 percent asking," he says with a smile.
Dr. Hopper says the surgeries that happen next will be up to Jake, but will probably only happen once a year.
"It's very gratifying, just working with a child with that kind of spirit and that wonderful a family," Dr. Hopper said. "It would be nice to do more, faster, but one thing we realize if you push a child through too many surgeries too fast, it can really have a bad effect."
Jake's mom said each time Jake goes in for surgery, it's like opening the emotional wounds again.
"I think he's had more than his fair share of surgeries, anxieties and nightmares," she said.
"He's been through a lot at the same time as rare as his case was, and the whole situation we were thrown into, there's always somebody who has it worse. We are grateful we at least got to bring him home."