PITTSTON — Frankie Domoracki, who turned 11 years old on Oct. 21, celebrated his birthday with a drive-by parade of family and friends led by a Pittston Township Fire truck.
Domoracki is battling aplastic anemia, a rare and serious condition that occurs when your body stops producing enough new blood cells. The condition leaves you fatigued and more prone to infections, bruising and uncontrolled bleeding.
“We didn’t notice until he came home from playing outside when he had some bad bruises,” Frank Domoracki, Frankie’s dad, said. “We will be heading down to CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) where he will receive bone marrow from his sister Kelsey.”
Kelsey, 13 years old, was a perfect match, meeting 100% of the required markers needed for a potentially successful transplant.
The Domoracki family will leave Pittston for Philadelphia on Oct. 25 to prepare for the transplant procedure at CHOP on Nov. 2.
Frankie was totally surprised by the birthday parade, saying he couldn’t understand why when his parents told him he needed to get dressed to sit on the porch.
“It’s crazy, I didn’t know what was happening,” Frankie, who was dressed in his favorite N.Y. Giant’s Saquon Barkley No. 26 jersey, said. “It was cool, thank you guys. It was nice, best birthday party ever. It makes me super happy.”
The participating vehicles where decorated with signs and balloons, and a few cars stopped to blast confetti cannons. Many dropped off birthday presents and cards for Frankie’s birthday.
“I liked the fire trucks in the front and at the end,” Frankie said.