Photo Provided On a recent visit to Easterseals Rehabilitation Center, Tara Yager of Shadyside, left, and her son Noxx — dressed in their custom-made “Be like Noxx” giraffe shirts — visit with Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Jennifer Diserio.

WHEELING — Six months ago, 4-year-old Noxx Yager of Shadyside couldn’t sit in his car seat more than 20 minutes without experiencing back and leg pain.

He was wobbly and weak, wasn’t potty trained, and had sensory and attention issues.

He told his mom he had “spiders in his legs.”

Noxx was referred to Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Jennifer Diserio at Easterseals Rehabilitation Center to evaluate him for possible Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder.

After getting a complete medical history, Diserio, who has a neurology background, instead recognized symptoms of Tethered Cord Syndrome, a rare congenital condition in which a tangle of fatty fibers pulls on the spinal cord and keeps it from moving freely in the spinal column.

“It can cause problems with numbness and tingling, lower extremity weakness, difficulty with bladder control, and so on,” Diserio said.

An initial MRI was inconclusive, but Diserio felt strongly enough that she recommended a second opinion at WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital in Morgantown. After confirming Diserio’s suspicions and operating on Noxx in March, the surgeon told the family it was one of the worst tethered cord cases he’d seen.

“The cord was so tight, he’s grown 2 inches since the surgery. He’s no longer crying that his legs hurt. His attention and sensory issues are better, almost non-existent. It took a couple months, but he’s now potty trained,” his mother, Tara Yager, said.

Post-surgery complications revealed a life-threatening problem. Noxx had hydrocephalus, an overproduction of fluid on the brain. After four more surgeries, his prognosis is good.

“We might never have known about the hydrocephalus, and it could have killed him. I believe Jennifer saved his life. We’re just so thankful and grateful,” Tara Yager said.

Wearing green-rimmed glasses, spiked hair and a big smile, Noxx joined his mother and father, Josh Yager, and other family members at Thursday’s Kalkreuth Vendor Invitational fundraising dinner for Easterseals at Oglebay’s Glessner Auditorium. Today is his 5th birthday, and the 200-plus patrons sang “happy birthday” to him. Fighting tears, his mother told his spine-tingling story.

The fundraising dinner and today’s Kalkreuth Invitational scramble precede the annual Kalkreuth Amateur Golf Championship at Oglebay on Saturday and Sunday.

Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal and its founders, former President and CEO John Kalkreuth and current President and CEO Jim Hurley, have supported Easterseals with the golf tournament and other fundraisers over the years. Title co-sponsors of this year’s tournament are ABC Supply, Carlisle Construction Materials and Johns Manville.

The preliminary donation to Easterseals of $40,000 brings Kalkreuth’s multi-year total to more than $360,000.

“Our ability to make a significant donation to such a charitable, life-changing organization that

supports so many families right here in the Ohio Valley makes me proud of all of the fine employees we have here,” Hurley said. “It’s always been important for Kalkreuth to generously give back to Wheeling’s local community and to institutions like Easterseals that touch the lives of so many children, including many of our own friends and neighbors.”

Founded in 1937, Easterseals is a nonprofit medical and outpatient rehabilitation clinic that serves about 2,000 children and adults with disabilities annually in the tri-state area. Easterseals accepts all insurances but never turns anyone away if they can’t pay.

“We are a small organization that makes a big impact on the lives of children like Noxx and their families. We are grateful to Mr. Kalkreuth, Mr. Hurley and the entire Kalkreuth team, along with the many vendors, for making it a personal priority to support local children with disabilities and special needs,” Easterseals President and CEO Eric Filberto said.

Noxx still sees Diserio for follow-up appointments every three months, and he also started weekly occupational therapy and physical therapy this spring at Easterseals to strengthen his muscles and catch up on developmental milestones.

“It’s like a family here. They listen to you as a parent,”; Tara Yager said during a recent visit for which she and Noxx both wore black T-shirts featuring a friendly looking giraffe wearing shades. The giraffe is the Tethered Cord Syndrome mascot and happens to be Noxx’s favorite animal. Under the giraffe are the words: “Be like Noxx.”

She said the whole family, including brothers Niko, 6, and Nate, 11, are excited for Noxx to experience a pain-free childhood. She added he always was a happy child, despite the pain. His smile lights up a room, and he brings joy to everyone he meets.

“We have a saying, ‘In a world where you can be anything, be like Noxx.'”