2025 Miracle Child – Liam “LJ” Rivers

Written by his mom, Maddie

On June 5, 2022, we welcomed our second child to the world. A healthy baby boy named Liam Jacob (LJ) Rivers. His sister Harper, just 2 years older, was so excited to have a brother to grow up with and our family felt complete.

But in January 2024, LJ stopped eating as much and cried like he was in pain but couldn’t express to us what was wrong. He began getting bruises all over his body, and his scalp was full of dark purple spots and lumps. It was then that I knew something was seriously wrong and we took him to the Emergency Department at University of Michigan Health-Sparrow. That night LJ was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) with a KMT2A mutation putting him at an intermediate risk for relapse.

We spent time inpatient at UM-Health Sparrow Children’s Center from January 2024 to July 2024 where LJ faced many complications from infections and chemo that affected his entire body. We were able to return home at the end of July 2024 until December when I noticed LJ not acting the same and we discovered his cancer had returned. On December 12th, we were admitted once more to Sparrow where LJ received his 6th round of chemo. On Christmas Day 2024, LJ tested positive for RSV which led to him being intubated for nearly 3 weeks fighting for his life. He has received over 100 blood product transfusions, 71 X-rays, 13 CT scans, and so many more tests, procedures, and surgeries, and will also need a bone marrow transplant soon.

We are hopeful that with the help of our dedicated MSU pediatric oncologists, infectious disease doctors, dietary specialists, and physical therapists, LJ will be able to learn how to eat, walk, and dance once again cancer-free.

He still has a long road to recovery, but I know with our team at UM Health-Sparrow he will continue to fight with the best team on his side.

LJ has gone through the unthinkable, more than any child should ever have to endure, yet he continues to smile and thrive with happiness. He is our true miracle child…