This SC teen battling cancer got a birthday surprise from an anonymous cop

When Bluffton teenager Michael Mugrage was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer last fall, the community response was overwhelming.

And the celebration around his 16th birthday has been no different.

Michael, who is fighting high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma, officially turns 16 on Thursday, but his friends and family threw a party for him last Friday.

At the party, a Bluffton police officer who did not want to be named presented Michael with his first vehicle.

Michael's mother, Jessica Mugrage, explained that the officer's family had a 2006 Ford Explorer they wanted to give away and chose Michael as the recipient.

"They wanted to bless somebody," Jessica said about the couple. "You meet people and you think they're so sweet, but they really are so sweet."

Jessica said the hope is that having a vehicle will keep Michael motivated and encouraged that he can be like a normal teenager and have something to look forward to.

Capt. Joe Babkiewicz of the Bluffton Police Department said the officer's gift shows that being a true public servant is about making a difference in someone's life.

Michael's reaction was characteristically low-key, his mother said, but he was really ecstatic.

"He's not a kid who will be jumping around saying, 'Oh my God, oh my God,'" Jessica said. "He's a lot more calm."

She said Michael told her he hopes the officer's family realizes how happy they made him with the Explorer he's nicknamed "Dora," a nod to the long-running Nickelodeon cartoon.

In another surprise set up by a network of family friends — and friends of friends — Joe Montana, former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers and one of Michael's idols, called the teen to say happy birthday and sent along a No. 16 jersey autographed with "To Michael, Happy 16th! You're the man!"

Michael has long been a fan of the 49ers and has admired Montana's ability to deal with stressful situations — looking up to his "Joe Cool" demeanor in his own fight with cancer, Jessica said.

During the call, Michael and Montana chatted for a bit about Hawaii, where the Mugrage family lived until a few years ago and where Montana recently vacationed.

"I'm just going to go ahead and ask, can I get your number?" Michael asked during the call.

"We do not have Joe Montana's number, so no one needs to call and ask us for it!" Jessica added with a laugh. "We do not have it!"

Michael has had multiple surgeries and is not yet half way through his doctors' year-long chemo plan.

He's in about week 20 of the 54 weeks of treatment, Jessica said.

High-risk rhabdomyosarcoma — “high-risk” means the cancer has spread widely, according to the American Cancer Society — is a challenging disease to treat, Jessica said.

And Michael's treatment hasn't been without setbacks.

He had a serious allergic reaction to one of his medications in January, his mother said.

Then, due to a nationwide shortage, the hospital was unable to get another of the chemo drugs, according to a post on the Go Fund Me page set up to help the family..

"Fortunately the lead oncologist had a plan ... of what to do in the meantime," Jessica said.

On Tuesday, Michael had a scan so that his doctors could see how the treatment was progressing.

Jessica said they were still waiting for the results.

"I am hopeful and optimistic, as much as I can be, but we are dealing with a lot," she said.

Jessica, a single mom who also has a younger son, said people who meet Michael comment on his positive attitude.

"He has it in his mind that he is going to beat this," she said. "Everyone has ups and downs, but for the most part, he has been optimistic."

And he has had lots of support from the community.

She said their whole family feels "beyond blessed. ... I don't think there's another community around that's like Bluffton and Hilton Head."

Last fall, students and teachers at May River High School, where Michael is a sophomore, raised more than $5,400five people shaved their heads and in a show of solidarity. .

A trio of Bluffton women raised funds selling "Christmas crowns" before the Bluffton Christmas parade, and a golf tournament in Michael's honor was held in February.

The Go Fund Me page had raised just over $60,000 as of midweek.

No. 16 for the 16th

Fighting cancer

'Beyond blessed'

This story was originally published April 12, 2018 at 12:41 PM with the headline "This SC teen battling cancer got a birthday surprise from an anonymous cop."