Overcoming Obstacles: Bruises Slowed, But Didn’t Stop Reapers Defenseman Emmett Simbrowsky

Emmett Simbrowsky just wants to wear his No. 24 jersey on right defense for the 2016 Chicago Reapers. He is a 9-year-old fourth grader who lives in Chicago and attends Hawthorne Scholastic Academy.

Hockey is Simbrowsky’s fun space, which included an appearance last season in a state championship game while skating for the Jr. Reapers.

He is a physical and smart defenseman who treasures the memories of scoring a shootout game-winning goal against the Florida Surf in this season’s CCM World Invite quarter-finals, held locally in November.

However, Simbrowsky’s season has been slowed by medical news that he, well, doesn’t truly understand or comprehend based on his age. But it’s led to plenty of tears and sleepless nights for his parents.

As the youngster said, “I stopped playing hockey for a few weeks and have had to come in and out of playing.”

Simbrowsky, this past September, started having bruises and petechiae all over his body. Sure, he’s the youngest of four children, where physical play is commonplace, but the marks on his body were too many.

“I kept getting more bruises and (it was) getting worse,” said Simbrowsky, whose pediatrician said the youth had to go to Lurie Children’s Hospital to be examined – and  he had to go immediately.

The doctors first thought his spleen was destroying his platelets.

At Lurie’s, Simbrowsky was admitted and spent the night.

They did blood tests and more.

“The staff's immediate concern seemed to be possibly leukemia because of the amount of bruising, which was terrifying for us as parents,” said Emmett’s mom, Hilary O’Connor.

Simbrowsky’s platelet count was, at first, 6,000, a mark that is normally around 150,000.

“With counts this low, they were very concerned about internal bleeding,” she said.

His platelet count dropped to 3,000 overnight and he was given an infusion.

“The doctors told us they believed he had ITP but didn't have an answer on what caused it. They hoped it was a short-term thing and decided to give him an infusion, but that didn’t work like the doctors hoped it would and only brought up his platelet count to about half of where it should be,” Hilary said. “After the second blood draw where his platelets dropped to 3,000, the doctors told him he couldn’t play hockey or really do anything with physical contact.”

Simbrowsky was crushed. The news, he said, “made me feel sad and mad because I want to play pro hockey when I grow up.

“I felt scared (in the hospital) because I didn’t know if I’d be able to do anything like school or hockey. And I felt like something bad could be wrong with me.”

He was, in fact, diagnosed with ITP, which he described as, “a disease that makes your platelets go down, makes you get a lot of bruises and makes it look like you got beat up.” ITP is a blood disorder where platelets are either not being made or being destroyed. Platelets work to clot your blood so without them, bleeding is a very real concern, especially internal bleeding.

Simbrowsky missed two weeks of hockey …or, as he put it, “I missed four games and seven practice.”

He has been treated with steroids and prescribed daily oral medication.

“My team checked on me, especially when they found out I was in the hospital,” Simbrowsky said. “They got me a gift certificate and money to get Wing Stop because I wanted wings that day I got out of the hospital. 

“Coach Steve (Dry from the Reapers) talked to me about (ITP) because he had it. He talked to me about what happened to him. He told me what to expect and that people were bullying him, but that he made it and to do things that cheer me up if I’m feeling down. It made me feel good because I knew what to expect and felt less scared. I felt happy that my team checked on me. It made me feel loved. 

“Coach Steve told me that I’ll still know how to do hockey, even if I take time off because of my sickness.”

Hilary added, “His teammates and parents (of his teammates on the Reapers) have been so supportive and compassionate to him and our family. We are lucky to be surrounded by people who champion our kid. Steve was so helpful as well. He checked in with us within minutes of Emmett’s head coach, Lewis Simon, telling him what was happening. Steve called while we were in the ER and continued to check-in daily and still does. It was great, not just for Emmett to hear about someone who experienced the same thing, but for (my husband) Mark and I as well. He also met with Emmett in person and told him that missing a few days or weeks or even months of hockey wouldn’t ruin his hockey career and that he can still do everything he wants in life. 

“You could see Emmett relax a little bit after he talked to Steve.”

Simbrowsky is now taking daily pills to battle ITP which, Hilary said, “he had to learn how to swallow a pill whole and is very good about remembering to do it. He has also had to get weekly, sometimes twice weekly, blood draws to not only monitor his platelet counts, but to make sure the daily medicine isn't negatively impacting his organs. 

“It is a lot of poking and prodding on a little boy.”

He sees a hematologist monthly.

Still, the hockey player snapped: “I feel ready to play. I’m normal again, although I always felt normal even with bruises. I used to have bruises, but now my symptoms (are gone).”

“I couldn’t play hockey for a while. Then I got to come back. I don’t think it made me a worse player,” he said. 

Doctors are optimistic that Simbrowsky will go into medicated remission and, over time, the bruising will go away entirely. Ideally, in six months to a year, “this will be just a blip in his story,” Hilary said. “If not, there are different medicines he can take and potentially a splenectomy. Medicine is working and our hope is that it stays this way.”

Skating With … Reapers Defenseman Emmitt Simbrowsky

Off The Ice: “I like to play with friends, play video games and play shinny. I like hanging out with my family. I also play baseball.”
It Helps: “Stickhandling a golf ball. Working out with my mom. Drinking protein shakes. And Coach Sandy Cooney says to do Russian squats.”
Long-term Career Goals: “To make it to the NHL and master defense.”
Favorite NHL Team: “Colorado Avalanche because of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar … my coach calls me Makar.”
Favorite NHL Player: Cale Makar
Favorite Sports-themed Movie: Benchwarmers
Favorite TV Show: Sponge Bob
Favorite Pre-game Meal: “Steak, but really it’s two chocolate long johns and a Gatorade.”
Favorite app: Roblox
Celebrity You’d Like To Meet: Cale Makar