Nicholas’ mom, Nikki, said there were a few bumps in the road as he recovered, but her son is now healthy, happy and sickle cell free – a statement that still causes her to choke up.

Nicholas had spent his whole life dealing with sickle cell and chronic treatment, so being sickle cell free has completely changed his mindset, Nikki said.

Nicholas loves football, basketball, NASCAR and hanging out with family and friends. He is grateful to local donors like you, who provide him with the opportunity to have a more “normal” life.

“He has to learn to operate without sickle cell. His frame of reference for being sick is being in the hospital with a pain crisis. Now, he has to think about whether a cough is normal, or if he feels right,” she said.

Nicholas and his mom are thrilled to be facing “normal,” everyday problems after years of fighting sickle cell. They are grateful for local blood donors who helped sustain Nicholas throughout his treatment and ease his pain. A steady supply of blood donations was a crucial part of his treatment, as it is for many sickle cell patients.

Nikki said her son’s checkup after his bone marrow transplant went great. He has remained healthy in his first year and is doing remarkably well. The effects of sickle cell had caused Nicholas to miss a lot of school when he was younger. Now, he is taking online classes at Central Piedmont Community College with hopes of transferring to North Carolina Central University or North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to continue his education.