Ian Dustan is a lot like any other 10-year-old kid.
He likes playing with Legos. He loves video games. He’s fascinated by zombies.
And his favorite type of dog is a husky.
But Ian has a problem that most kids his age couldn’t fathom: mitochondrial disease, an incurable condition that has begun to contribute to organ failure and the debilitation of his neurological system.
If not for an innocuous red spot on Ian’s forehead and a medical pouch hanging from his pants, a casual observer would not know he has an illness. He’s aware and talkative, and he exhibits a keen sense of humor for a boy his age.
He has already outlived doctors’ expectations. His family and medical team, knowing every moment is precious, arranged a special day for him.
The local nonprofit Forever Husky, an all-volunteer group, brought Ian quite the surprise: a pack of his favorite dogs, including one — named Sapphire — who had dealt with health issues, as well. Ian beamed while petting the huskies and going on a dog-sled ride at his grandparents’ Sheridan Road home in Waukegan, Ill., as a happy crowd of family and friends looked on.
“It’s something I know will mean a lot to him,” said Jaime Miceli, Ian’s mother, who welled up with tears as she spoke about her son. “And it will be a memory for us. So it’s pretty profound to see.”
Lance Laureys, president and founder of Forever Husky, said, “I don’t think there’s any words to describe seeing a child going through what he has and bringing a smile to his face.”
As he petted the dogs, Ian was eager to tell anyone who listened, “I’m going to go to Alaska, and I’m going to have a bunch of huskies. Huskies are one of my favorite dogs.”
This isn’t the first medical emergency the family has had to deal with. Ian’s older brother, Evan, 17, overcame leukemia and is “doing fantastic” at Waukegan High School, his mother said. And the newest member of the family — 8-month-old Giulia, daughter of Jaime Miceli and Ian’s stepfather, John Miceli — was born premature and was diagnosed with chronic lung disease, her father said.
On Saturday, though, the family couldn’t have looked happier as they posed for pictures and watched Ian interact with the dogs. And when Laureys explained Sapphire’s health problems to Ian, the boy didn’t dwell on his own outlook but noted that his brother overcame cancer.
Joy Elverman, Ian’s nurse with JourneyCare, said Ian is “like our own.” She’s cared for him for five years. Watching Ian ride on the dog sled, Elverman and her colleagues considered the day a success.
