8-year-old from Franksville will need kidney transplant, love from family keeps him going

 

FRANKSVILLE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- This holiday season, a Franksville family's been given some daunting news. Their 8-year-old son will need a kidney transplant. We sat down with him and found the love of family, and especially his big brother, are keeping him going.

"It's misleading because when you look at him you would never know," said Danielle Scott, Theo's mom.

On the outside, Theo Scott is your typical 8-year-old, helping mom make dinner.

"He actually loves to help me in the kitchen quite often," said Danielle Scott.

But an unfortunate setback for the Scott's oldest son, Luke, gave them an early heads-up that Theo's body's dealing with something on the inside.

"Luke, at three months, we found out he had a tethered spine and so, at three months he had to have that corrected," said Eric Scott, Theo's dad.

With their second pregnancy, Danielle Scott's OB-GYN played it safe, giving extra attention to her growing fetus.

"It was just more in-depth ultrasounds that's really what it was," said Danielle Scott.

In the womb, doctors already could tell Theo's kidneys weren't quite right.

"Going through something like that with my first-born son and to know that my second wasn't going to be born necessarily healthy was, it was a lot," said Danielle Scott.

At birth, Theo was diagnosed with failure to thrive. The Scotts spent the next three months in and out of the hospital. Then, just like his big brother, Theo also had a surgery at three months old.

"Why God did this happen to us with Luke but if that didn't happen to him, we could've lost Theo," said Eric Scott.

Knowledge of that's made these two brothers even closer.

"That blew my mind, and I call Luke a superhero now," said Theo Scott. 

For eight years, Theo's had regular checkups at Children's Hospital, closely monitoring his numbers which were good, but in the last year, a dramatic spike. The Scotts now know it's only a matter of time until the 8-year-old, who showed us his skills on the electric guitar, will need a transplant.

"I'm going to be scared but thinking it's my dad it's gonna give me a new kidney," said Theo Scott.

Eric Scott's looking into a kidney exchange program. If he's not a match for his son, he'll donate a kidney to a total stranger with the favor being returned to Theo.

And for now, what Theo knows is how much he likes to play guitar, like the Packers and Bucks, and loves his big brother.

"It helps me probably get closer with Theo like when he gets his surgery," said Luke Scott.

The family's working with COTA, that's Children's Organ Transplant Association, to help raise funds to support Theo. If you'd like to donate, click here.