A Five-Year-Old Fighter

Updated: Thursday, 23 Jul 2009, 10:24 PM CDTPublished : Wednesday, 22 Jul 2009, 7:18 PM CDT

In three days, he turns five years old. And in that short time span, Max Herrick has come closer to death more times than most people do their entire lives.

While the economy and the recession have got many people worried, tonight Mark Saxenmeyer tells the story of a resilient little boy who puts the word "struggle" into much better perspective.

Beneath the mask he almost always wears when he's out and about, Max Herrick is chomping his gum. He can blow bubbles...he can imitate a frog. And while his face may be covered, it's easy to see his smile.

The halls of Children's Memorial Hospital are like a second home to Max, even though he's pretty clear, saying: "The only thing I like at the hospital is the play rooms."

Max, at heart, is a fighter. Because Max has been fighting for his heart since the day he was born.

We first met Max nearly three years ago, when we explored the subject of bereavement photography. People who capture images of children who aren't expected to make it.
Max was born with a congenital heart defect and had just had a heart transplant. About 400 American children every year successfully undergo this kind of operation.

Max's mom is Liz Herrick. She says: "Everybody always says 'well God will only give you as much as you can handle.' And part of me is like 'why does he trust me so much?'" Shortly after the surgery, Max's body began to reject his new heart. Max pulled through, but then his anti-rejection medications created a new problem.

Dr. Jeffrey Gossett is a pediatric cardiologist. "Somewhere between five and ten percent of patients can develop these post transplant cancers."

Max's dad, Jared Herrick says: "The medicine is what actually caused the cancer." Steroids and chemotherapy followed.

Liz Herrick says: "I sleep with probably one eye open. Either a hand on his chest making sure 'hey you're going to wake up tomorrow.' He's gonna wake up tomorrow. He's got to wake up tomorrow."

Max's older brother and sisters are now being checked to make sure they haven't inherited any of the problems Max has.

Max's sister, Alyssa, says: "I'm doing a lot of sports next year so i think it's kind of important."
And Max is at their side to give them reassurance. Grabbing brother Tyler's hand, Max says: "I am so proud of you."

In fact, with all his experience, Max can tell you, point blank, where a needle should and shouldn't go.

Two weeks ago, Max's most recent biopsy indicated he was no longer rejecting his heart.
As for the cancer? Dr. Gossett says: "I don't know that I'd quite say that he's clearly in remission yet, but we're certainly in that neck of the woods."

Dad says: "His spirit is so strong that it overcomes anything else."

To help pay for Max's on-going medical bills, his father works 84 hours a week...seven days a week.

Jared Herrick puts it this way: "We look at everything with a different perspective because we've had to...if nothing else it's brought a lot more understanding, compassion about how people should really live their lives."

Francesca is another of Max's sisters. She says: "Your whole life is not ruined until you almost lose someone you love."

And brother Max? "It makes me feel actually really bad. I wish i could take his place. Yeah."
For the Herricks, the thought of life without Max never enters their minds. Mom explains: "Seriously, Max is pretty much the air that I breathe."

And as for Max, well, he's got just one wish for his fifth birthday this Saturday. "When I'm done with the hospital, I never have to go to it!"

Children like Max who have had a heart transplant have 10 to 15 year survival rate with their new heart. More than 50 percent need to have a new hear transplant before they reach the age of 20. Since pediatric transplants are still relatively new, long-term survival is still unclear.