Rising Above
By Sarah Breitenbach
News-Post Staff
FREDERICK -- Monday will rank as one of the best days of Erik Lerch's young life. The 13-year-old spent a portion of the afternoon hovering above the Frederick landscape in a Maryland State Police helicopter, a unique treat almost never afforded to civilians in nonemergency situations. Erik has suffered from a rare combination of cancers, including T-cell lymphoma and leukemia, since October 2003.
According to the Nemours Foundation, roughly 1,700 children under 20 are diagnosed with lymphoma each year. The cancer forms in lymphatic tissues, including the lymph nodes, thymus and spleen.
During the last year, Erik received a bone marrow transplant to help speed his recovery after being diagnosed with leukemia in November 2004. Following months of living in a Baltimore apartment near Johns Hopkins Hospital, he returned home to Mount Airy in July of 2005.
Erik has been in and out of remission since becoming sick in 2003 and was most recently diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 2005, only two weeks after his father, Bill Lerch, died from a heart attack. According to the American Urological Association, testicular cancer is rare in children and usually affects young men between 15 and 35.
In January, Erik was once again diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. Through it all, Erik and his mother Joan Lerch remain upbeat.
"Because of Erik, I have to stay positive," Ms. Lerch said. "Nothing negative crosses our doorstep."
Flying high
Erik's ride through sunny skies Monday was a gift from a family friend, Officer John Cissel of the Montgomery County Police Department. Officer Cissel is a college friend of Mr. Lerch. Last week a conversation with Ms. Lerch prompted Officer Cissel to call some friends in Frederick and ask for a favor.
Days later Erik was outfitted in an official flight suit and playing with a police dog named Rocky. During the helicopter ride, pilot Jim Thomas helped Erik find his house in Mount Airy and took him to Harpers Ferry, W.Va. His mother greeted him at the helicopter door after he landed at the state police hangar at Frederick Municipal Airport.
"How was it?" she asked.
"Awesome," was Erik's only reply from the cockpit of Trooper 3, the state police medevac.
Erik took the ride with his brother Tony Quintana, 25, Mr. Thomas, Officer Cissel and Trooper First Class Bobby Harsh.
Lt. Mark Gibbons of the Maryland State Police helped organize the officers in Frederick for Erik's visit. Lt. Gibbons stayed grounded with Ms. Lerch while the helicopter buzzed around the county. He told Erik that his flight was one of a kind.
"You have made my day," Lt. Gibbons said. "I think you did more for us than we did for you."
Keeping busy
Erik and Ms. Lerch travel to Johns Hopkins Hospital once a week for treatments and chemotherapy. He has limited use of his hands and requires a wheelchair to get around, but shares the interests of any other 13-year-old boy.
Lately he has been unable to go out and play with friends and his passion for video games has been put on hold because of his hands. "I have really good friends," he said. "Even though I can't do some of the things they can, they still come over."
In December, Erik took a trip to Las Vegas and met Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow.
"In the magazines he (Mr. Armstrong) looks all rough," Erik said. "It was like talking to any other normal person who just likes to bike." Ms. Crow sang "Happy Birthday" to him on Dec. 4.
Erik's goals include beating cancer and running the Erik Lerch Foundation, a promise he made to his father. The foundation raises money for Erik and other children with cancer.
In March, the family will hold a yard sale to raise money for the foundation. Cal Ripken Jr., formerly of the Baltimore Orioles, agreed to donate memorabilia for a silent auction that will be held during the yard sale.
Erik speaks with Mr. Ripken via telephone and has visited his home in Baltimore County.
After sitting in the hangar to chat, Erik left the airport in his mother's new green Hummer H3. Erik picked the car out for her because it has everything they want and need, except for the global positioning system that has yet to be installed.
After Erik hollered thank you from the passenger seat, the officers gathered back inside and talked about their day with him. Officer Cissel called the helicopter ride one of the best things he had ever done.
"Police get this nasty rap sometimes, as much as we would like people to know about us doing this stuff," he said, pausing for a second and taking a breath. "I don't know about you all, but I don't care if anybody knows."
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