A 14-year-old boy from Milwaukee who died from "complications of infection with novel Coronavirus" Thursday had an aggressive form of leukemia and had recently undergone a bone marrow transplant, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed.
A source with knowledge of the boy's condition tells "The Dan O'Donnell Show" that he had "been battling leukemia for about the last three years and has been in an immunocompromised state for a very very long time."
"He had a very aggressive type of leukemia and had already relapsed a number of times," the source added, noting that the boy had a bone marrow transplant in 2019. "This bone marrow transplant was a final shot at beating the leukemia, but with all the treatment he had already been through, the bone marrow transplant was very, very risky and more of a Hail Mary attempt at finally beating his leukemia."
Unfortunately, the boy succumbed to his cancer and complications from COVID-19, with which he was diagnosed in November, on Thursday night. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office listed two causes of death: "Complications of infection with novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)" and "Acute lymphocytic leukemia, status post bone marrow transplant 2019."
Despite this, the source is concerned that local leaders and members of the media will use the boy's death to advance the idea that COVID-19 is deadlier for children than it is. Wisconsin has had just three COVID-related deaths of patients under the age of 19, and children have made up just 0.19% of all COVID-related deaths nationwide.
"To use this kid’s battle with cancer as a means to push this COVID narrative is truly despicable," the source said.