Bellingham (WA) Boy Fighting Flesh-Eating Bacteria

KIRO TV Washington ^ | February 21, 2006 | KIRO TV

[Sopater]

POSTED: 12:01 am PST February 21, 2006 UPDATED: 9:25 am PST February 21, 2006

SEATTLE -- A 6-year-old Bellingham boy is fighting to survive a deadly infection that's killing the tissue in his face.

Jake Finkbonner has necrotizing faciitis, a ravaging bacteria.

Finkbonner was airlifted from Bellingham to Children's Hospital a week ago. He's had three surgeries so far to try to save his life.

The problem started when the boy received a fat lip from a fall at a basketball game.

Jake's father, Donny Finkbonner, said surgeons worked on his son the night he was brought to Children's Hospital in Seattle. "We wanted the truth from the surgeons and they said we’re operating on him to save his life," said Finkbonner.

The boy’s family members said the bacteria were consuming him before their eyes. "He didn’t have any facial features that were identifiable as my little boy," said Elsa Finkbonner, Jake's mother.

Antibiotics wouldn't stop the infection from spreading so surgeons had to cut out the infected tissue.

HOW TO HELP A spaghetti dinner fundraiser is being held for Jake's medical care on Friday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Ferndale High School Cafeteria.

Elsa Finkbonner said their faith is giving them strength. "Our son's life is in God’s hands, and it’s out of our control. We just ask for more prayers."

Doctors are making sure they remove all of the bacteria.

The boy is expected to need extensive plastic surgery.

[MontanaBeth]

Poor baby, prayers for his recovery going up.

[Prince Charles]

Bump back to the top for exposure.

[luckymom]

Please keep us posted on this. I live in the area, and even so, have a hard time getting updates. We all need to continue keeping this little guy, his family, and the medical team in our prayers.

[M0sby]

I haven't heard anything recently...I just did a Google News search and came up with nothing since Friday.

Still praying..

[luckymom]

Thanks, I can't believe the Bellingham paper doesn't print updates. There are so many people praying for this little guy.... we just have to keep it up. There was a Ryan Stiles benefit show for Jake on Saturday which I'm sure was well attended.

[Twinkie]

Ongoing prayers.

[M0sby]

 

Community Packs Pizza Shop To Help Jake Finkbonner

March 2, 2006
 
By April Zepeda

 

Video : KOMO 4 NEWS

The Papa Murphy's in Ferndale donated its profits Thursday to help Jake, who is fighting a rare flesh-eating bacteria, while his family got good news on his prognosis.
 

 

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FERNDALE - For the first time, a Ferndale family is getting good news about their little boy who is fighting a flesh-eating bacteria. The news comes as the community digs into their wallets to help the 6-year-over recover.

When Papa Murphy's Pizza in Ferndale announced that 100 percent of their profits for the day would go to Jake Finkbonner, the community responded.

"These people fall behind each other so fast, with such big open hearts, it's wonderful," said customer Karen Hesketh.

The pizza restaurant was standing room only all day.

"And I thought the Super Bowl was busy, but this is even busier!" said employee Eric Creitz.

Six-year-old Jake was playing basketball February 18th when the ball hit him in the lip. Within 24 hours, his face swelled to more than twice its size.

The cut on his lip became infected with Type-A strep, the same bacteria that causes strep throat. But the Ferndale kindergartner's infection quickly became a fast-spreading case of necrotizing fasciitis sometimes called flesh-eating bacteria.

The bacteria gives off deadly toxins, the skin and soft tissue are slowly eaten away, and his own body's attempt to fight the infection produces severe swelling which can damage even more tissue.

To save his life, doctors have to remove the damaged tissue on his face, head, and neck to stave off the infection's constant advance.

Part of his treatment includes hours spent in the hyperbaric chamber at Virginia Mason in Seattle. That alone can cost as much as $7,000 a day.

But after weeks in the hospital, there is finally good news. Standing in line for pizza with everyone else, Jake's grandfather shared the bright spot in his grandson's horrific ordeal.

"We had a good report that his bacteria has subsided completely and now it's a slow recovery processes. So far, we feel very good about it," said Andy Ochoa.

But Jake has months of recovery ahead, huge medical bills and his parents have stopped working to stay at his side.

"We've been blessed and we thought it was our duty to bless him," said Papa Murphy's manager, Jeremy Lovelace.

On a normal weekday the restaurant would sell 150 pizzas. On this day, they sold twice that many in just one hour.

Through faith -- "I think it's just God working through all of us," said one customer -- and sheer numbers -- "It's really emotional," said another customer -- it's clear: Jake is not in this fight alone.

The family has established a fund to help pay for Jake's health care costs. You can donate at any Wells Fargo Bank or Industrial Credit Union.

[M0sby]

I think you pinged the list for this story...would you mind pinging the list for the update in #87.

It is GOOD to get PINGED WITH GOOD NEWS sometimes..right?

[M0sby]

 

Classmates pray for Jacob in his fight against infection

MAME BURNS THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Kindergartner Saskia van de Poel marks a spot in Florida where people are praying for her classmate, Jacob Finkbonner, who is fighting a deadly bacterial infection. Staff and students at Assumption Catholic School will be wearing and selling orange ribbons with the profits donated to the Finkbonner family to help pay for hospital costs. Orange is Jacob's favorite color.

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MARY LANE GALLAGHER
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

 

TO DONATE

Donations to the Finkbonner family can be made to an account in Jacob Finkbonner's name at any Industrial Credit Union office.

Jacob Finkbonner's nametag still sits at his usual place at the table full of kindergartners in Laurie Murphy's classroom at Assumption Catholic School, where his classmates await his return from the hospital.

 

They know Jacob, who just turned 6, is very sick, said Murphy. She's shared with the kids requests from Jacob's mom, Elsa, to pray for the boy's vital organs and eyesight as the youngster undergoes daily treatment at Children's Hospital in Seattle for a deadly bacterial infection in his face.

 

"I ask every day, 'Who remembered to pray for Jake before going to bed?' " Murphy said. "They all raise their hands."

 

For 5- and 6-year-olds, Murphy said, prayers are more than just articulated hopes - they have real power to heal.

 

"I really think they don't believe at this point anything bad is going to happen to him," she said. "He's going to get well, he's going to come back. That's just what they're focused on."

 

Jacob is in critical condition at Children's Hospital in Seattle, undergoing daily surgeries to remove areas infected by necrotizing fasciitis, a rare but serious bacterial infection that threatens his life. He's also spending time each day in a hyperbaric chamber at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle.

 

The boy's condition remains "very critical," Murphy said, but his parents are hopeful.

 

Murphy visited her student in the intensive care unit Saturday. She held his hand and told him how much his classmates miss him.

 

"Even though he was sedated," she said, "they think it's possible he might hear."

Assumption students and their families have joined hundreds of others throughout Whatcom County praying and raising money for the Finkbonners. Co-workers of Jacob's father, Don, at BP Cherry Point Refinery helped organize a comedy benefit Sunday featuring Ryan Stiles. Friends also put together a spaghetti dinner benefit Friday night. And Ferndale's Papa Murphy's Pizza is donating all sales profits from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today.

 

At Assumption, kids and parents have raised at least $2,000 for the Finkbonners. About $500 came from doughnut sales to parents dropping off children in the morning. And a small basket sits at the school's front desk filled with checks for the family.

 

They've also started keeping a map with pins marking places where friends and family of Assumption kids are also praying for Jacob in places like Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Corvallis, Ore., Florida and Nogales, Mexico.

Parents put up the map "so kids, especially little kids, could see, 'Wow, prayer is an amazing thing,' " said Annette Bagley, whose kindergarten son, Ben, is missing one of his favorite recess friends these days.

Parents of Jacob's classroom buddies are making orange ribbons that the kids can wear - and other people can buy - to show their support for Jacob.

 

"We want to keep him so alive in our thoughts, as well as help them with their bills," said Noreen Chrysler, whose daughter, Hailey, is a classmate of Jacob's.

Chrysler, as well as several other parents, have visited the Finkbonners in Seattle. They're overwhelmed by community support, including notes from people they don't even know, Chrysler said.

 

"From the beginning," Chrysler said, "the only thing they've ever wanted is people's prayers."

[M0sby]

 

Classmates pray for Jacob in his fight against infection

MAME BURNS THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Kindergartner Saskia van de Poel marks a spot in Florida where people are praying for her classmate, Jacob Finkbonner, who is fighting a deadly bacterial infection.

 

---

 

I am going to e-mail the school with the locations of any prayer warriors who would like to add their location to the map!!!

Please PING if I can add your LOCATION

*not your name*

---

 

 

 

[LIConFem]

The necrotizing bacteria do actually "eat" away the flesh. The venom of the brown recluse causes constriction of the local (to the bite) blood vessels, causing the flesh to die.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

I googled it, and found some horrific pics, which caused me to immediately make an dbl adult beverage. Gawd, that's an awful wound.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Some good news ping...check out #87...and 89.


Thanks, M0sby..

[Brad’s Gramma]

Some good news ping...check out #87...and 89.


Thanks, M0sby..

[8mmMauser]

Lewiston/Auburn, Maine

[RMDupree]

Miami, FL prayers coming through...

[M0sby]

THANK YOU!!!

[M0sby]

Hey..after your adult beverage...wanna add your town to the list (see #90)

:-)

[Malacoda]

Prayer PING from Phildelphia.

[M0sby]

Thank you!!!