We called Mason “Our Little Helper” because he always wanted to be involved in everything and help people with whatever he could. He was a smart, fun, happy, giggly, goofy and lovable kid. He loved life and playing with his big brother Max. He was a healthy, happy child up until he came down with a cough and our lives changed forever in a matter of a very difficult 6 days.
On Jan 26, 2017 he had a cough with no other symptoms but we took him to our pediatrician because pneumonia was going around in preschool and we wanted to be proactive and just check it out. They said everything was clear in his lungs, ears, heart, etc. It was just a virus that had to run its course. He seemed ok on that Thursday. We went to lunch and shopping that day and he was driving the car cart at Home Depot. By Friday he was weaker and not eating or drinking as much. We took him back to the doctor and they sent us to the ER for fluids to boost his system up a bit. He saw two different doctors there, ate a grape popsicle after his IV and we went home. He slept well Friday night and we went back to the pediatrician for a follow up Saturday morning after the ER the day before. Keep eating and drinking but all sounds ok they said. At 3:00 that afternoon we were calling 911. He wasn’t breathing. We went by ambulance to the new hospital in Huntley. They got him back and stabilized him enough to put him on Flight for Life to Lurie’s in Chicago. We couldn’t fly with him so we watched him go and then we drove down to Lurie’s. Before we even got there they had run 250 tests on him. They couldn’t figure it out. He never even had a fever.
We spent Saturday through Wednesday of the next week at Lurie’s with him but we ended up having to take him off life support and say goodbye at 5:30pm on 2/1/17. His brain kept swelling due to lack of oxygen because his heart stopped. They had done everything they could but nothing worked to reverse the damage. They never figured out why he went into cardiac arrest that Saturday afternoon. They weren’t even sure that it has anything to do with the cough he had. He had seen 4 doctors between our office and the ER in the two days prior to his arrest so it was unlikely that they could even be related. We really thought in our heart of hearts that the autopsy would come back that he had a heart defect and the virus he had settled around his heart and that’s what made it stop beating. The autopsy came back that the only thing he had was a lung infection which we knew already…he was coughing. Kids get coughs all the time though. A week of antibiotic and they are fine. His heart and everything else was fine based on the autopsy.
Between Saturday night and Wednesday night we had the gift of time with Mason. We were able to exhaust all the options, speak with doctors, get our questions answered with 100% certainty, speak with Gift of Hope and sign papers to donate organs with complete clarity. We got to snuggle him, kiss him, love him, talk to him, sleep with him one more time his last night here. All things we wouldn’t have gotten if it ended in 20 minutes in Huntley. We were able to have lots of family and friends come to see Mason, love him, and spend time with him. That meant the world to us and I know Mason knew and could feel all of the love for him. We didn’t get the outcome we wanted but we are trying to continue in his happy and kind spirit. We want to see good come out of this heartache and tragedy. It’s a comfort that through Gift of Hope, Mason could help and save lives for up to 20 people with his donations.
We called Mason “Our Little Helper” because he always wanted to be involved in everything and help people with whatever he could. We have since started the Mason Wasz Foundation and received our 501(c)(3) status so that we can continue to help others in his memory. We want to do good things in honor and memory of our sweet boy and we know that he is looking down smiling and we are trying to make him proud. It is wonderful to see good things happen and it makes our hearts happy.
