Cody Phillips

The steroids Cody Phillips took to combat a rare bone-marrow disease made his cheeks puff out.

Last March, a photograph of that endearing face and a story about his plight prompted readers of the Southeast Missourian to donate $8,500 so that his family, beset with medical bills, would not be evicted from their Morley, Mo., home. The Southeast Missourian Jr. organized an auction that contributed to the donations.

One anonymous person donated $2,500. Other people left groceries at the Phillipses' house.

Cody was diagnosed with aplastic anemia last October. His bone marrow couldn't produce blood cells. He needed a bone-marrow transplant, but an appropriate donor was never found.

Cody died last week at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

A Broviac catheter inserted into his chest allowed nurses to draw blood from one of Cody's arteries. Cody called the catheter his "boo-boo." He bravely endured needles, long hospitalizations, blood transfusions, biopsies and weekly platelet transfusions.

Ironically, bacteria that entered Cody's body through the catheter led to his death.

His mother, Angela, said she hopes people remember Cody by that photograph. He was an unforgettable little boy.