Update: Montclair Family Still Trying To Get Hospitalized Son Home For Christmas

Montclair, NJ - If you’ve ever had to take a long-distance trip for the holidays, you know how expensive and grueling the travel process can be.

Now imagine trying to get your hospitalized son – only a few weeks removed from life support – from Finland to Montclair via a full ambulatory flight with a medical team in tow.

This is the challenge that the family of Marco Ziccardi is facing this Christmas.

Patch first reported about Ziccardi’s situation in November, when the 13-year-old student at Buzz Aldrin Middle School suffered unexpected complications from a severe motor neuron disease during a family trip to Finland and had to be rushed to the ICU unit of a local hospital.

• See related article: Help Get My Hospitalized Son Home For Christmas, Montclair Parent Pleads

Soon afterwards, Marco’s father, Vito, set up an online fundraising campaign in an effort to raise the money to bring his son back to the United States.

• See the online campaign and/or make a donation here.

Ziccardi explained the quandary that his family was facing on the campaign’s homepage:

“On a recent trip to Finland with his Mom, my son Marco was rushed to the emergency room and admitted to the ICU. He spent a week under anesthesia and life support. Eventually, he was transferred to a hospital bed. He has been there ever since.

“After weeks of testing, Marco has been diagnosed with a severe motor neuron disease. His doctors are not able to be more specific at this time. He requires a ventilator to assist with breathing. He is unable to talk, swallow or support his head. He hasn’t been able to eat solid food since before he was admitted. He continues to be fed through a tube in his stomach.

“His muscle weakness is centered in the neck and throat. There is no guarantee that it won’t eventually spread. He is weak but is doing his best every day to get out of bed and work to increase his strength. Hopefully, he will eventually become strong enough for the trip home.

“We are a family split in half on two continents, separated by a vast ocean. I am desperate to reunite my family so that we can all care for Marco together. We hope to raise enough money to pay for a flight home. A full ambulatory flight home can cost in excess of $200,000.00. Our hope is that Marco will be strong enough to fly home on a commercial airline, accompanied by a small medical team, but even that option is not without considerable cost.”

The Ziccardi family provided an update about Marco’s condition on Nov. 31:

“In the midst of such a tragic situation, we still have so much to be thankful for. You have all helped us in countless ways. Your support and kindness has given us untold comfort during this very difficult time.

“Marco is working hard to gain enough strength to make the journey home. His doctors are confident that he will be physically able to make the trip. Physicians and hospitals in both countries are busy coordinating efforts to make the transfer. Events this week should give us a better idea of how soon we can expect our long awaited family reunion. It has been so very long and we are anxious to be reunited as soon as possible.”

As of Friday afternoon, with 13 days remaining until Christmas, $66,706 out of the campaign goal of $100,000 has been raised.

See the online campaign and/or make a donation here.