Newswatch 16 spoke with Eddie’s father about how, despite grief, a miracle still emerged from their heartbreak, and how they’re determined to honor Eddie’s memory.

THROOP, Pa. — For Eddie Kaufman, kindness came naturally.

His father, Brian Kaufman, says Eddie carried his heart everywhere: on the baseball field, in the classroom, and through the toughest fight of his life.

“Oh, Eddie was extraordinary. He really was just the best kid. I’m so proud to be his father. He was an amazing student-athlete here at Mid Valley. He was a collegiate baseball player down at Roanoke College studying business,” says Brian. 

In October of last year, Eddie was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. When his family asked the community for help, the response was overwhelming.

More than 5,000 people across Lackawanna County stepped forward, strangers becoming Team Eddie K, all hoping to be the one who could save him.

“The community throughout 2025 has been amazing. The support that we’ve received — hearts, phone calls, visits to Eddie, Zoom calls with teammates– has been remarkable, and it really put a lot of wind in our sails along the way,” says Brian. 

But before a match could be found, Eddie passed away, leaving behind a heartbreak no parent should ever know.

Still, his story wasn’t over.

One of the people who tested to see if they were a match for Eddie was 28-year-old Cody Petcavage from Throop, Eddie’s hometown. While he wasn’t a match for Eddie, doctors found a match for a 67-year-old man in Texas.

A miracle done in honor of Eddie, Cody agreed to donate his stem cells on Christmas Eve, Eddie’s favorite holiday.

“Happy, sad tears from our whole family, but we’re so proud of Cody to do this for Eddie and for this gentleman in Texas,” says Brian.

Although Eddie and Cody never met, their connection runs deep. They walked the same halls at Mid Valley High School. They played the same game, and they stood on the same baseball field — chasing the same dreams.

Years later, Cody would even get married on the Kaufman family farm.

Two lives, unknowingly tied, are now forever connected by a single act of selflessness.

Brian says, “So just a remarkable set of coincidences. I think maybe Eddie had maybe a little bit of a role to play from upstairs, perhaps. I like to believe that.”

Now, Eddie’s family is determined to keep his spirit alive by encouraging more people to enter the database to donate stem cells and save someone like Eddie. 

They hope to turn Team Eddie K into a scholarship for Mid Valley students, giving future students the same chance Eddie always believed in.

In the words of Eddie’s father, “Eddie’s game isn’t over, it is just moved to a different field.”