COEUR d’ALENE — In many ways, Riley Cremer is just like most 21-year-olds in North Idaho. 

The Coeur d’Alene native graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 2022 and from Northwest Lineman College in southern Idaho just a year later. Riley is an outdoorsman, works as an apprentice electrical lineman and spends his free time working on his truck.

He is also a survivor, recently beating incredibly tough odds. 

Riley’s health took a sudden and serious turn in May of last year.

“What initially looked like a bad stomach bug turned out to be an unknown virus or infection that would shut down his liver,” said Riley’s mom, Alysha Cremer.

Though he recovered briefly from the initial infection, Riley continued to experience health problems, and extensive blood testing led to the diagnosis of aplastic anemia, a rare and serious blood disorder that occurs when the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells and platelets.

Only about two out of every 1 million Americans receive this diagnosis each year, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Because of the rarity of the disease, Riley and his parents were sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for answers. After a few months of extensive testing, doctors were able to confirm that inflammation in Riley’s body from the initial infection had led to him developing severe autoimmune aplastic anemia.

“His body attacked his own bone marrow, leaving him profoundly anemic: without white blood cells to help protect him from other infections, or platelets to give him the ability to stop bleeding even from minor cuts,” Cremer explained.

Aplastic anemia is treatable only by bone marrow transplant; though Riley was initially slated for a transplant in late November, a severe lung infection called aspergillus landed him in inpatient care for 26 days, followed by near-constant blood transfusions after being released.

After several readmissions to the hospital, doctors decided to move forward with the transplant despite the lung infection. Following transplant conditioning, which involves chemotherapy and radiation, Riley’s bone marrow transplant was completed Dec. 28.

“This was his only chance at survival,” Cremer said.

Now, after nearly 100 days post-transplant, Riley has beaten the odds and returned home, where he is recovering in his new house that he bought just before his diagnosis.

Though the curability of aplastic anemia is 90% with a transplant, Cremer explained, Riley remains immunocompromised and will most likely be out of work for the next year due to the physically demanding nature of being a lineman.

To help offset expenses from Riley’s treatment and his family’s relocation to Rochester, a GoFundMe called “Help Riley Get a Life-Saving Bone Marrow Transplant” has been set up by friends of the family. Donations can also be mailed to P.O. Box 2041, Hayden, ID 83835.

“Riley and his family keep faith that he will fully recover to live a purposeful life of good health and outdoor adventures,” Cremer said.