Sadly, Vincent DiBerardinis, just 5 years old, departed this life at 12:45pm on Friday, June 14, 2002. Vince received a cord blood transplant on May 23rd and initially did well; however, he developed lung and heart infections a few weeks after transplant and his little heart could no longer bear the struggle. The family thanks everyone for their support throughout this ordeal and in the future as they heal and move forward.

Contributions are very welcome to the Vincent DiBerardinis Fund, which will help the family meet the overwhelming financial challenges of this ordeal

If you were not familiar with Vince, please jump to All About Vinnie to find out about his courageous family and the struggle they have endured.

Following is the beautiful Eulogy given by Vince's Uncle, Dan Fratino, at his Mass on Tuesday June 18:

Good morning. I don't usually speak in front of large crowds and, in fact, I am not very good at it, but I feel it is the least I can do for Vincent. Actually nothing seems that difficult after sitting next to a five-year-old and holding his hand while he takes his last breath. You would be surprised how easy things seem to be after experiencing that.

Vincent, Vinny, Vinn, Chenzie—he had as many names as he had personalities. Vincent was not an easy person to get to know. Vincent was not the touchy-feely type. I like to think of him as a man's man, none of that frivolous huggy-kissy stuff for him. I really don't think many people got to know Vincent except maybe for his mom and dad and Tony [his cousin and Dan's son]. Tony had a special bond with Vincent. It seemed like he could get through to Vinny when no one else could. They even had their own language.

I know it's hard to believe but, you can learn a lot from a 5 year old. Vinny certainly knew what it was like to be a leader. He followed in no one's footsteps. He did what Vinny wanted to do. He was an individual. It's a shame we will never see that individuality blossom into adulthood. Vinny also knew what it meant to be courageous. Six months ago Vinny entered into the fight of his life with only 50/50 odds. I can't remember a day when Vincent whined or cried about his predicament. His was a fight of silent courage and I will never understand why he lost! Vinny was way ahead of his time, I can count the number of adults I know with as much individual spirit and courage as Vinny had in his lifetime on one hand.

I have many fond memories of Vinny. I would like to share 2 with you. The first was an extended lunch break with Vinny while remodeling my sister's kitchen. Vinny and I had lunch together that day like we did most days during the project. There wasn't a whole lot said, just a lot of noises and things to annoy my sister. But after lunch we played rescue heroes. I think Vinny had every rescue hero ever made. Vincent talked more that hour to me than he did in the 5 years prior. I did not know he could talk that much. That was very special to me and I will never forget it.

The second memory I would like to share is of another lunch date. One I had with him the Saturday before he died. Vinny was especially agitated that day. I think he had a fever hovering somewhere between 104 and 105. We made it through lunch again not with a whole lot of communication. Just a few nods. The thing that really shocked me was that when we returned to Vinny's room and he got back into bed, he let me sit next to him and rub his head and back for about 30 minutes. For anybody that knows Vinny, this type of behavior was unheard of with this little guy.

I would like to close with a prayer for a good friend who has passed on. Vinny was not only my Godson, but a special friend.

I feel strange, Lord,
Because while I was sitting here
Quietly reading the papers,
Someone very close to me
Was lying in an antiseptic room
Dying,
I didn't even know
That part of me was being cut off,
The precious part which was my friend,
So that now just half of me is alive,
And the other half
Has slipped away into Your care.
And what can I do?
Heal myself, I guess:
Close over the gaping wound of separation
And prepare for a new start.
Yet that's not all:
I only now begin to realize
That my friend still lives in me,
In my memory,
In my feelings.
I must keep these feelings alive,
Because if I don't,
Then something beautiful
Will truly have vanished from the earth.

Vinny you were truly something beautiful. You would have been the best "worker guy" ever. I sure do miss you buddy. Your mom and dad should be very proud of you. You will always be in my thoughts.

— Love, Uncle Dan

All About Vinnie

Vincent DiBerardinis is just 5 years old, and he is fighting AML-type leukemia.

The son of Laura and Mark DiBerardinis of Hillsmere Shores in Annapolis, Maryland, Vince has an older sister and is the proud big brother to a new baby sister. He is the grandson of Jim and Jean Fratino (of Queenstown and, formerly, Edgewater) and Dee and Scottie DiBerardinis of Downingtown, PA.

A kindergarten student at Hillsmere Elementary School, Vince was diagnosed with AML-type leukemia on December 21, 2001 — just days before Christmas — after what seemed like a series of the usual childhood illnesses.

Since his diagnosis, Vince has spent most of his days in treatment at Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital, with occasional brief visits back home. Having endured three aggressive rounds of chemotherapy and preparing for a fourth, Vince's best hope at this point is a successful bone marrow transplant.

All along, Vincent's parents have asked for nothing more than prayers on his behalf. As the DiBerardinis family is well-loved in the community, response to their ordeal has been great. But the battle is far from over.

Along with mounting financial costs, there are extreme emotional costs to hospitalization: Each hospital stay means separation for the close-knit family. Vince is never alone at the hospital, which means that Laura or Mark may not see each other for days, just as Vince may not see his siblings. Once the transplant is done and Vince has recovered a level of immunity, the family will have to move to an apartment within the city limits to remain close to treatment and ensure succesful remission.

Read more about the family in the March 21st article in The Capital.

Compiled by family and friends, this site is intended to provide a clearinghouse for information and opportunities to help Vince and his family while they focus on the most important goal: getting Vince well.

Please join us in supporting the family through various fundraising events, check in for news updates, and consider other ways to help.