Saturday celebration centers around Eric’s Make-A-Wish tree house

On Saturday, Sept. 26, a large crowd of supporters attended a picnic at the home of Eric Osaer, 13, in Sumpter Township.
The focus of the event was the huge tree house in the backyard given to Eric by the Make-a-Wish foundation and constructed by Pro Home Improvement.
Eric, a student at McBride Middle School, has eosinophilic disease, a very complex disease that attacks the digestive system and blood. It depletes the body of iron and essential nutrients necessary for proper development and physical growth.
The symptoms associated with this disease are painful cramping, bleeding, vomiting, and polyps.
Due to lack of nourishment caused from multiple food allergies or intolerance to so many foods, Eric must rely on a feeding tube for his nutrition. There is no cure for the disorder.
His mother Renee Osaer said Eric has just completed the worst eight months of his life and has been in and out of the hospital. She said in March he didn’t want to live, but he started watching the tree house construction and that changed him.
He turned 13 on June 13. Because of his illness he doesn’t have many friends, his mother said, so the Pro Home Improvement crew and their families attended his birthday party and it was a great celebration.
He recently also was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, asthma, inoperable tumors on his back, having a hole in his heart, and connective tissue disorder.
He has to go back to the Cincinnati Hospital Oct. 16 for his next scope and then to the University of Michigan Hospital for another MRI.
But also this summer Eric was adopted by his stepfather, Junior Osaer, although it wasn’t easy. Renee said they are in the process of changing Michigan law to make it easier for others.
Also, this summer, Eric took part in the Wayne County 4-H Fair as part of the 4-H Critters Club. He won four trophies, one medal, 17 ribbons (11 were first places) and was named Prince of the Fair. He also won the People’s Choice award of $100 for the Build a Bird contest. Because of problems with fowls this summer, 4-Hers couldn’t bring real birds to the fair. Eric built his bird out of medical supplies.
Eric said he has slept over in the loft of his tree house twice already. His mother said she slept there, too. She said Eric is an enthusiastic University of Michigan fan and allows no Michigan State University colors in his tree house. However, his mother said, when she slept in the loft with him, she wore her MSU shirt.
On Sunday the Bikers for Christ were at the celebration, along with other biker friends and relatives from Arkansas. Many other supporters of Eric and his family attended. They all brought a dish to share and enjoyed the sunny day in the country.
The Bikers for Christ have reserved a patch for Eric so he can be a future members. A large circle of bikers joined hands and prayed for Eric.
Because of a Make-A-Wish policy, the tree house could not be an extension of their home so it couldn’t be connected to the house for electricity. So, the tree house has many solar collectors that provide light to each step on the stairs up to the tree house and inside the rooms and deck.
Saturday’s event also was Renee’s chance to alert everyone to their second fund raiser for the new Guided Steps foundation Aug. 20, next summer, at Wild Willey’s Bar in Romulus.
She explained Guided Steps is a not-for-profit foundation, 501 (c)(3) dedicated to families facing difficulties due to childhood illness, chronic disease, homelessness, and other hardships that hit working families. She said they have already helped three families.
They’ll be holding a bottle drive soon to help a family that can’t pay for the monthly cancer medication for a child. Once they get to a certain amount, the insurance will take over, she said.
For more information, write to Renee Osaer at 22270 Sumpter Road, Belleville 48111. Or she can be reached by email at [email protected] . Or contact Kevin Cavanaugh at [email protected] .