Ethan Strong

Ethan Strong Fight Against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

08/18/2026

Family, friends, and very beloved community, the day is finally here!

It’s been 2 and a half years. 29 months.
125 weeks. 874 days.
That’s the amount of time that’s has passed from our family’s worst day of our lives, to one of the absolute BEST!

Ethan’s leukemia diagnosis on March 27, 2024 was the news that forever changed our lives.
It rearranged our lives, introduced all sorts of scary new things, and made a parent’s worst worries even more of a burden to bear. Lots of travel and missing family, too many appointments to count, chemo thats effects lasted far past the dosing appointment. Even having to limit time with family and friends, and even every day places most people don’t have to think twice about going to.

But you want to know what else we got that day? We got a community, one that’s just as close as family, and supports and loves just as hard. We got new perspective on just how much simpler we could live life and appreciate it more. We learned that we can lean on our friends, family, neighbors when we need to. Through every ounce of hard, we always had support and that’s something we can never thank everyone enough for!

And today? Today is the day we can close a chapter of life, and we’re so blessed to be able to; not everyone gets this day.
Ethan gets to ring the bell that signifies he has beaten the nasty disease of Cancer.
He has battled a fight no one should have to, at an age that’s even more horrifying to witness it. Ethan’s faced so many treatments, so often being sick, long hospital stays, and missing home with such a fighter attitude. Not once did this boy give up, even when we felt we weren’t going to ever see the finish line.
But here it is, the end of our travels with Leukemia. The end of Ethan fighting pain he can’t tell us about, being sick, having chemo pumped into his body. The end of such a hard sought fight! And may we all take a note from Ethan and do as he did, take every step one day at a time.

This end being a win means a whole new beginning for us, for Ethan. Getting back to a way of life where every movement doesn’t have to be carefully planned. Being able to freely travel and let Ethan enjoy being a kid to the fullest. Loving on family and friends with hugs and kisses instead of fist bumps and well wishes. Trying new adventures, and even school this fall for Ethan are our next steps and we so can’t wait to take them!

This is the start of LIFE!

We hope you celebrate with us in this victory. We hope you know just how profoundly every prayer, outreach of support, financial help, and things for Ethan helped us survive the unimaginable. The worst thing is to feel alone in such hard times, and we’re incredibly thankful we never did!

With SO much love, and tear filled eyes of celebration, let’s all shout a huge WOOHOO for Ethan’s victory bell!

Ethan Strong 👍🏼🧡
Briana Pelkey Zach Pelkey

08/07/2026

Yayyyyyyy, the post we’ve all been waiting for! Ethan is officially port free and healing time is just a few weeks. Ethan did great before, during and after surgery. He is on his way to get his favorite, McDonald’s fries and then heading back home. We are all overjoyed with happiness as I know everyone is, especially Ethan, (well, once his sedation effects ware off completely 🤭)

We will be back soon with more updates. Ethan is set to ring the bell, on 08/18/2026, and we CANNOT WAIT!! Ethan IS Strong! 🧡👍Zach PelkeyBriana Pelkey

08/07/2026

Hello all of our family and friends! We are sending REALLY BIG apologies for being so silent, but we have had SO much to be grateful for and have been enjoying every bit of this summer, finalllly!!Ethan just had his 4th birthday a few weeks ago, he got to celebrate with family and friends, and lots of memories were made with lots of laughs shared.

It is beyond amazing to look at Ethan and see the strength he has carried and continues to carry to overcome such a terrible disease/diagnosis, it’ll forever be a part of him and all of those who surround him. BUTTTT…………TODAY, 08/06/2026 is the last day Ethan takes chemotherapy, and tomorrow 08/07/2026 Ethan will be getting his port catheter removed! Ethan, his two brothers, and Mom and Dad will be staying in Bangor overnight to prepare for tomorrow’s procedure. As we are at the end of this battle, we want everyone to know how SO incredibly grateful we all are for the power of healing, strength, prayer and unwavering love and support for the last 861 days, as diagnosis date was 03/28/2024. We are beyond blessed and forever grateful to announce that we are officially able to resume our “normal life” , it took lots of prayer and strength to get here, but Ethan did it, we all did it, we got through the hardest time we have ever endured. Thanks to everyone who has followed us, supported us, prayed for us, cared for us, raised and donated money to our family to help support us in such a devastating time and helped us avoid hardship, we will always be forever graciously warmed by all of you.

Please enjoy this video with us of Ethan throwing away ALL of his syringes, we are all screaming for excitement for this! The ware on each syringe and faint lines, hold a dark time where life felt sad,
hopeless, heavy, and unreal, but not anymore! Ethan was the toughest of tough and here he his now throwing it all away, and we are now putting everything behind us. Chemotherapy will be properly disposed of by a pharmacist. Ethan will remain on Bactrim every weekend, an antibiotic used to prevent any infections/bacteria’s but we have brand new syringes for that and that will officially be the only medication Ethan will need. Yayyyyy!

We will be back tomorrow with an update after his procedure! Much thankfulness and love to each and every one of you! 🧡👍Ethan IS Strong
Zach Pelkey Briana Pelkey

Being able to finally have Sunday Fun Day with the family!❤️❤️🙏🙏God answers prayers❤️❤️
06/23/2026

Being able to finally have Sunday Fun Day with the family!❤️❤️🙏🙏
God answers prayers❤️❤️

Hello everyone! We are very sorry as it has been awhile since posting but things have been going so well for Ethan, we h...
06/23/2026

Hello everyone! We are very sorry as it has been awhile since posting but things have been going so well for Ethan, we have just been relishing in life.☀️☺️

Ethan is so close towards the end of treatment, we are impatiently counting down the months until the end, YAY we are so close! We truly know and believe that we are where we are thanks to the power of prayer, love and support!🙏🧡

Ethan went down to Brewer today for a quick check up and port access, he does so well with it and everything went so smoothly! Ethan’s counts are remaining within normal range which is great news,🤞 it stays this way!

Thanks for following along with us, it’s been a very long road but we have SO much to look back on and to be grateful for! Here’s to Ethan and being so close to end of his treatment! Much love to all of you! Ethan Strong 💪🧡👍

Zach Pelkey Briana Pelkey

Guess who went home today!How incredibly blessed are we to have such an amazing village that lifted Ethan in thoughts an...
04/30/2026

Guess who went home today!

How incredibly blessed are we to have such an amazing village that lifted Ethan in thoughts and prayers so forcefully, it seemed to have worked!
This is a journey we couldn’t have done alone, and how everyone rallied together last night to bring us home, just proves it all.

After what seemed like a long morning, the family was released early afternoon. Ethan will have local labs done on Wednesday, and until then we are holding off on chemo.
Lots of rest and lots of love are on the menu for now as we keep getting Ethan to feeling better.

Don’t stop those prayers! It’s one of the few things that get us by some days, especially knowing how often this village has the power to make them work! We’re going to keep making it towards that finish line, one day at a time.

Truly, sincerely, thank you all.
Much love,
Ethan Strong 🧡👍🏼

Briana Pelkey Zach Pelkey

Hey everyone!The saying goes no news is good news, but we’re here with a second update to yesterday. Upon leaving the cl...
04/30/2026

Hey everyone!

The saying goes no news is good news, but we’re here with a second update to yesterday.

Upon leaving the clinic yesterday, Ethan spiked a fever, causing Mom and Ethan to have to turn around. After some blood test, some sent off to be cultured, it showed levels low enough that needed Ethan to be admitted. They immediately started administering antibiotics and trying to get Ethan comfortable and back to feeling better!

The day was a jumbled mess for Mom and Dad, as this became a frenzy of immediately having to change plans. A car full of groceries with Mom and Ethan in Bangor, needing to get home to Ashland where Dad and brothers are.

After lots of panic of arrangements, the what ifs of what was going on with Ethan, and the fear of setbacks being so close to the what should be the end of this journey, our village managed again. Family at home always goes above and beyond for us, making sure the boys at home have nothing to worry about. The wonderful nursing staff arranged to meet Zach in Millinocket to swap groceries (what an amazing above the job effort by these amazing people!). There was a slight hiccup, but a lovely family member was able to save the groceries, and Zach was able to be there last night for Ethan and Mom. Just what the doctor ordered!

Today, Ethan got a blood transfusion, a much needed step in his healing journey through this hiccup! If the cultures taken come back negative and his ANC and other counts are stable, Ethan can be released to come home tomorrow, but we won’t know for sure until then.

Let’s all pray extra for this little man and his family tonight. For Ethan’s speedy recovering and for findings to look good tomorrow to come home. For a peaceful night for Mom and Dad, as this is rattling during this phase of our course through Ethan’s Leukemia. And for a night of sleep so good, there’s not a worry until the morning.
We are still fighting, one day at a time.

🧡👍🏼 Ethan Strong

Briana Pelkey Zach Pelkey

Hey all! It’s been a while, we’re so sorry for that. Turns out keeping up with Ethan, well life itself really, is a ful...
04/28/2026

Hey all!
It’s been a while, we’re so sorry for that.
Turns out keeping up with Ethan, well life itself really, is a full time job!

Ethan went down for treatment today for his chemo vinicristine and IVIG for immunity.
He has an ear infection going on, but luckily the doctors caught that and are treating with antibiotics.
Ethans doctor was als concerned about his walking and limping, and is putting him on a medication to help ease the pain. Towards the end of treatments, it’s very common that it can make one sore, and walking becomes difficult.
This sounds scary, or like a setback, but Ethan’s doctor isn’t worried. She says we’re on track, and we are still keeping our end of treatment date! We will just be cutting his dose of chemo in half as his numbers begin to go up.

We never thought two years ago that time would ever move for us again, that the world would keep spinning after receiving Ethan’s diagnosis.
Ethan has fought so many uphill battles, with the unwavering support and love from so many family and friends. It feels funny to say we are busy again, and to be apologizing for lack of updates for it, but funny in a good way.
We’re getting back to loving life a little more, one day at a time.

Ethan Strong 🧡👍🏼

Zach Pelkey Briana Pelkey

03/24/2026

Hey everyone! We want to apologize for how quiet we’ve been lately, we have been trying to ease back to “normal” and we are almost there. Ethan’s expected end of treatment is August 6th, 2026!!!!! Read it again!!!! August 6th, 2026 the day we never thought would come!!! Ethan has been doing great with a few recent minor set backs such as transfusions and low counts but we are creeping up on the 2 year mark of Ethan’s diagnosis. We would be lying if we said it has been easy but our boy is SO strong and has proved to us just really how strong he is as well as all of his family, friends and supporters!We know we wouldn’t be where we are today without strength and prayer. Enjoy this video of Ethan jumping around! Ethan Strong 👍🧡Zach Pelkey Briana Pelkey

Hey all! It’s been a hot minute, and for that we do deeply apologize. But that also means relatively good things! Ethan ...
01/16/2026

Hey all!
It’s been a hot minute, and for that we do deeply apologize.

But that also means relatively good things!
Ethan has been doing so well, his visit at the clinic last Thursday confirmed his counts staying stable. He has stopped vomiting as much, getting a little more appetite back, and his spunky spark is coming back too! He takes another trip down on the 27th for an LP, and we’re hoping for more confirmation we are headed the right direction still!

Ethan and family have been slowly getting back to a busier life lately. Since Ethan’s counts have been rising and stable, it’s opened up the ability to do just a little more. Mom is able to work from home during the week now, family and friends are able to visit a little more, and taking Ethan out and about again, even if it’s just to family houses. Soon enough he’s going to have all his strength back to wrestle his dad on who gets to drive the lawn equiptment! 😂

This may not seem like much, or is normal for a lot of people’s day to day activities, but for our family, getting back to these things is the progress we’ve been so desperately trying to reach. A goal that seemed so far fetched just a little under two years ago when our world was changed, when Ethan’s life became even more fragile. Some days, and months even, were so hard. Setbacks after progress made it seem impossible, but here we are, slowing reaching the peak of this mountain.
So we’ve been celebrating it! Living as much life as we can, face to face, back to loving our people and places again.

It’s been one day, one step at a time. A long, slow and steady pace that all of you have walked beside us for, hand in hand, with support that is unbelievable, immeasurable, and unwavering. Thank you for walking through this with us, always having Ethan in your thoughts and prayers, and we always feel the extra ones sent for the family!

Much love,
Ethan Strong 🧡👍🏼

Briana Pelkey Zach Pelkey

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