Maplewoodian’s Joe Strupp recently interviewed Marnie Doubek, a Maplewood mother and local doctor, whose 12-year-old son Zach is currently struggling with MRSA, a sometimes deadly, antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria.
Zach, a 6th-grader at Maplewood Middle School, has already undergone three surgeries and faces a fourth on Tuesday to attempt to flush the virus from his leg. He has been at Morristown Memorial Hospital for nearly ten days.
Doubek said in the interview she and her husband, Joe, wanted to express their gratitude for all the help and support they’ve received from friends in the Maplewood community.
“We live in the absolute most amazing town, we are so lucky to be a part of this community,” said Doubek in Strupp’s interview. She said support was coming from friends in the Tuscan School community as well as through friends on Zach’s sports teams.
“When things seem so dark and scary, just the worst days of my life, I could see the light and the hope and the strength and support of the community,” said Doubek.
Although Zach’s infection is still active, the doctors at Morristown are hopeful and encouraging, she said.
Friends have been helping by cooking meals for the family’s two other children, in-laws and nanny, which are being coordinated on a Lotsa Helping Hands page set up by friends of the family. However, Doubek said for the moment they had enough food, and for now, she welcomes “love and prayers.”
Listen to the rest of Monday’s interview here.
