A gift that'll keep on giving: Toddler able to give his big sister the most perfect Christmas present
CONNECTICUT (WITI) -- A Connecticut toddler was able to give his big sister the most perfect Christmas gift this holiday season.
"My wife called, and she was crying on the phone which floored me, because when my wife's called me crying in recent history, it's been catastrophic news," Matt Guarraia told FOX6's sister station FOXCT in Connecticut.
But these were happy tears.
The family has learned 19-month-old Anthony Guarraia can help to save his big sister Madeline's life, according to FOXCT.
“Women from the transplant team came in and they had these huge smiles on their face and they just said 'we have a match!’” Mom Amie Guarraia said.
Eight-year-old Madeline has been diagnosed with leukemia -- for the second time. She not only needs chemotherapy, but also, a bone marrow transplant.
Doctors told Madeline's family that meant a national search for a donor, because there was only a 25% chance a sibling would be a match.
“Madeline has blue eyes. My other kids had brown eyes. I’m thinking, ‘oh, they’re not going to be a match,'" Matt Guarraia said.
But deep down, Madeline's parents tell FOXCT they knew little Anthony would be the one.
"He was definitely meant to be. I got pregnant with him at the end of Madeline's treatment, so we were totally surprised thinking 'how are we going to do this', you know? She was still going through so much," Amie Guarraia told FOXCT.
"Madeline is a very tough girl. I wouldn't describe her as maternal, but when Anthony came, that side of her comes out now. She's so nurturing to him," Matt Guarraia told FOXCT.
The siblings' bond will grow even deeper now.
Doctors tell the family they couldn't find a better match for Madeline than Anthony. Ten out of ten of the markers doctors look for were met.
The family calls it a Christmas gift that will keep on giving.
“It was a very awesome moment and a very huge feeling of relief,” Amie Guarraia said.
CLICK HERE for more on this story via FOXCT.