Mom of 4 Details ‘Brutal’ Family Discussions After Son with Down Syndrome Was Diagnosed with Leukemia — “We Promised Him He’d Never Fight Alone”
When influencer and mother of four, Kirstin Czernek, first heard the words “your son has leukemia,” time seemed to stop. Her 2-year-old son Luca, who already faced life with Down syndrome, had just been diagnosed with AML — acute myeloid leukemia — a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. It was January 2025, a month that forever changed the rhythm of her family’s life. What followed were long hospital stays, brutal conversations with her husband and children, and a journey that tested — but never broke — the strength of their love.
Kirstin and her husband, Tomas, have built a family rooted in compassion and faith. They are parents to four children, three of whom they adopted through foster care. Their youngest two, daughter Aria, 6, and Luca, 2, both have Down syndrome — something Kirstin has always spoken about with pride and joy. “We see them as our greatest teachers,” she once shared on social media. “They’ve taught us to slow down, to find joy in the smallest things.” But when Luca’s diagnosis came, the family was suddenly thrown into a storm they never expected.
“It was brutal,” Kirstin told People in an emotional interview. “How do you explain to your kids that their baby brother is sick, that he’s going to lose his hair, that Mommy and Daddy will be spending nights at the hospital?” She and Tomas sat their children down and explained as gently as possible what was happening. Their home, once filled with laughter and bedtime stories, became a space of quiet strength, where each family member found their own way to cope.
Luca’s treatment began immediately, involving multiple rounds of chemotherapy. The family took turns sleeping at the hospital, decorating his room with drawings and photos from home. Kirstin described the first night she watched her son fall asleep after his first chemo session — his small hand clutching hers, his favorite stuffed bear by his side. “He looked so peaceful,” she recalled, “and I just kept whispering to him, ‘You’re not alone, baby. We’re here.’”
Aria, who also has Down syndrome, became Luca’s tiny warrior sister, always asking about him and sending voice messages from home. Kirstin’s older two children helped pack hospital bags and wrote daily notes for Luca to open. “They’ve grown up faster than I wanted them to,” she said softly, “but they’ve also shown me how resilient kids can be.”
Through the pain, Kirstin and Tomas have continued sharing glimpses of their journey online — not for sympathy, but to spread awareness about Down syndrome and childhood leukemia. Thousands of followers have reached out with messages of love, prayers, and stories of hope. “The hardest part is watching him suffer,” Kirstin admitted. “But the most beautiful part has been realizing how much love surrounds us.”
Months into treatment, Luca’s doctors remain cautiously optimistic. His tiny body has endured more than most adults could handle, but his spirit remains unshaken. Kirstin says she sees strength in his eyes every day — the same light that drew her to adopt him in the first place. “He’s our miracle,” she said. “Even in the hardest moments, he smiles. He reminds us that love wins, even here.”
As they continue navigating the uncertainty of Luca’s recovery, Kirstin says her family has learned what truly matters. “We used to think joy was found in perfect days,” she reflected. “Now we know it’s in the small victories — when Luca laughs, when his siblings hug him, when we all sit together and just breathe.”
Her message to other parents facing similar battles is simple yet powerful: “Don’t lose hope. Let love lead the way. Even in the hardest storms, there’s always light.”
