Merrick’s Story

Site created on September 9, 2018

Thank you for visiting Merrick's Caring Bridge website. We will use this site to keep you updated on Merrick and needs/prayer requests for the Bleeker family.


Merrick went to the hospital after having been ill for a few days.  He was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome which has caused his kidneys to not function properly.  He is now at the Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls undergoing dialysis and likely multiple blood transfusions over the next few weeks.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Nicole Bleeker

We are "Raising a Hallelujah" that one year later Merrick is healed!! Praise God! We continued to follow-up with Merrick's nephrologist over the last year and his lab work and blood pressure continued to improve. Last week we had his big one year follow-up and his kidney function has returned to a normal level, he no longer has protein in his urine, and his blood pressure was great! We are so thankful for his health. He is in preschool and loving it. You would never know he was so sick a little over a year ago. We will continue to follow his kidney doctor until he is done growing. Puberty is a time where permanent damage that may have happened to his kidneys may become evident because of big growth changes.

Just wanted to say another thank you to all who prayed for Merrick and our family. I thought I would write a quick note and share how well he is doing before I close his Caringbridge site. I hope I never need to open another! 

I'm sure a lot of you have heard the song "Raise a Hallelujah." It has been a special song to us since Merrick was ill. It hit very close to home because of the story behind it. I encourage you to watch the video posted below. The little boy that the song was written for also had HUS and became critically ill. It has become one of Merrick's favorite songs and he knows most of the words. I love to hear him sing it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqlgKWZf4ak

Thank you all again so very much!!
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