CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. (WOOD) — He’s not even 2 years old, but a little boy from Michigan has gone through more than most people will see in a lifetime.
Roman DiLeo isn’t named after the WWE wrestler Roman Reigns, but for his parents and doctors at University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, they know he has the strength of the six-time World Wrestling Entertainment champion — and then some.
“She said ‘Roman,’ and I was like, the wrestler? He’s a strong dude. I like that. I’m having a boy. I want a strong name,” Tony DiLeo remembered.
Before he was even born, Roman was fighting for his life — which is pretty hard to imagine as the little boy is bursting with energy and life.
“After we found out something was wrong with his heart, the cardiologist we worked with in Grand Rapids, she made the comment that Roman is clearly not concerned with any of our concerns, and not listening to anything that we’re saying,” said Ashley DiLeo.
Roman’s heart condition was discovered while in utero at 25 weeks. Ashley DiLeo and her husband traveled to Ann Arbor for Roman to be born at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. As soon as he was born, he was whisked away by specialists.
“It was intense,” Toni DiLeo said.
“It was a lot of emotions but we stayed in the moment and did what we needed to do to get through each second,” Ashley DiLeo agreed.
It’s that state of mind, vibe and outlook on life that the DiLeos share is what has been able to get them through Roman’s birth and everything that’s come since.
“From day one we decided, hey, it is what it is. Control what we can control and keep positive and think good things will end up happening,” Tony DiLeo said.
Roman needed a new heart, so the DiLeos lived at the Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor waiting for the day he would get one. That day came when Roman wasn’t even 6 months old. That day, someone else’s loss became Roman’s chance at life: a new tiny heart transplanted into Roman’s tiny body.
This is where this happy story should end. But Roman’s fight wasn’t over yet.
“The transplant team does a very good job of preparing you for the good, the bad and the ugly,” Ashley DiLeo said.
Roman was diagnosed with post-transplant lymphoma.
This fighter was going to have to fight again. But once more, Roman surprised all doctors and his parents.
“His first round of chemo, (he) went from physically being sick to, he got done with the chemo we put him in the car and he was yelling and happy and playing with his toys,” Tony DiLeo said.
Which brings us to today, just days away from his second birthday.
“The world is his oyster,” Ashley DiLeo said.
We’re told Roman is always energetic. And he’s going to need it to keep up with his new baby sister this fall.
With a new heart and cancer survivor under his belt, you could truly say, “Roman Reigns.”
*Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the DiLeos’ last name. We regret the error, which has been fixed.
