'Indomitable' Hopatcong Boy Battles Brain Tumor

Kyle O'Brien wouldn't stop.

Fatigued, focused, the 10-year-old steadied himself on the wall and stretched as children ran past. It was "Workout Wednesday" at and if his friends were exercising, he would, too.

Doctors found an inoperable benign tumor in O'Brien's brain two years ago. He has since endured highs and lows, surgeries and setbacks, the latest on June 6 forcing him onto a helicopter bound for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, one of just three medical centers in the country that can help him.

"He never says 'I can't,'" said Candice Klapmuts, his fourth-grade teacher. "It's not part of his vocabulary."

Neither was juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma until a CT scan showed the slow-growing brain stem tumor in May 2009. What seemed like bad allergies became a fight Kyle's been winning despite doctors' initial prediction of three to six months to live.

His mother, Jennifer O'Brien, said Kyle's battle has been "every parent's worst nightmare." But it's also given those around him inspiration.

"He's an amazing human being," Klapmuts said. "He's indomitable."

The fight

Treatment was painful from the start. Three months of chemotherapy aimed at shrinking the inextricable tumor landed Kyle, a proud athlete, into a wheelchair for four months. It was hard for his whole family, but especially for his father, Patrick, who's helped coach Kyle and his other son, Jason, 7, through sports.

Still it worked and Kyle rehabilitated with a 3-mile treadmill walk each day. Eventually the New York Yankees and New England Patriots fan would earn playing time as an infielder on a borough Little League traveling team.

All the while, his mother said, he has remained a straight-A student.

"He never complains," Jennifer O'Brien said. "He never uses the tumor as an excuse to get out of school or anything."

The tumor shrunk some. But a new problem arose — cysts, and Kyle was back into the hospital for surgery in November to have them decompressed. Following a brief respite the tumor, which had paralyzed his left vocal chord, comprised his breathing and has sent him to the hospital three times since April.

The future

On Monday Kyle and his family will head to Philadelphia to prepare for more extensive care. Later in the week the family will relocate to a hotel, paid for through donations from companies, for six to eight weeks while Kyle undergoes proton radiation, which delivers high doses of radiation to a specific area. Jennifer O'Brien said she and her husband will have to take leaves from their jobs to stay with their son.

Jennifer O'Brien said she's received tons of help from the Hopatcong community. The family often comes home to meals on their doorstep. Fundraisers have been established for Kyle's treatment. Classmates help him carry books in school.

"The support we've been receiving from the people has been amazing," Jennifer O'Brien said. "And it hasn't been just time. It's been for the past two years. Everybody knows Kyle. People love him and support him and it's wonderful."

Ryan Latella, 10, plays on Kyle's baseball team. Ryan said he has lots of friends, "but with Kyle I can talk about certain things and he'll know what I'm talking about." Ryan said he "can't wait" for his friend to return.

Probably because he knew Kyle O'Brien wouldn't stop.