In Mid-October, Matt, Mary, and their younger siblings once again, went into high gear with the “Kids Caring for Kids” campaign. They started sending out letters, making phone calls and the editor of the San Francisco gave them a half page advertisement for free. They had twice the amount of teens helping with the project as the 1st year.
As Thanksgiving approached, Mary and Matt insisted that they be allowed to help at the women and children’s shelter again. Betty was so proud of her children for the compassion that they showed towards others and she was proud of Joe for inspiring her children to reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives.
That Christmas season, KCK was even more successful than the previous year. They raised over two million dollars and were able to buy clothes and gifts for over 10,000 children.
Joe was very dedicated to Betty’s children. When he was not at work, he was attending school plays, recitals, school concerts as well as sporting events and scout activities. He taught Sunday school, was now a Boy Scout leader, as Mark, Luke and John were in scouting. He helped coach Little League, soccer, and even helped teach the younger ones how to swim.
Joe could not be happier. He loved his new family. He loved helping them with their homework and encouraged them to try as hard as they could in school and in life. Joe loved reading books to Sarah and Becca. They looked up to Joe as a father as they had never known their real father.
One Saturday evening in late January, Sarah spiked a fever and she was not feeling good. Betty was at work and Joe was home with the kids.
Joe gave Sarah some medicine to bring down her fever, and put her to bed. When he went to check on her at ten o’clock pm, she was burning up. When Joe took her temperature, it was over 105 degrees.
Joe woke up Mary and told her to watch the rest of the kids while took Sarah to the emergency room. He called Betty and she was waiting for them when they got to the hospital. Both Joe and Betty knew that if her fever got any worse, she could die.
The doctor performed a spinal tap and the results confirmed her suspicions. Sarah had spinal meningitis. The doctor started Sarah on strong medicines and wrapped her in a cooling blanket to start bringing down her temperature.
Sarah was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit and Joe stayed with her and told Betty to finish her shift, as there was nothing they could do but wait. Joe stayed by Sarah’s side putting cool damp cloths on her forehead to help cool her down. As Joe sat there with Sarah, he silently prayed to God to help Sara make it through her illness.
When Betty got off work, she relieved Joe so that he could go home and get some sleep. After four hours of sleep, Joe went back to the hospital and finally convinced Betty to go home and get some sleep.
Over the next three days, Betty and Joe took turns sitting at Sarah’s bedside so that one of them would always be with her in case she woke up.
Finally, on Wednesday morning, Sara started to wake up. Her temperature had come down and she asked for something to eat. As Betty talked to the doctor, Joe went to the hospital chapel and said a prayer of thanks to God for helping Sarah.
Joe and Betty had been so worried that she might die, and neither of them had slept much in those three days. They were mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. Sarah went home two days later and soon returned to her energetic self.
In February, the twins turned two, and the family had a big party for them.