CJ dies after cancer battle

Petaluma couldn't help but fall in love with Casimer Joseph 'CJ' Banaszek IV.

Despite being diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia at the age of 11, CJ kept a brave face, building complex Lego structures to pass the time during his weeks in the hospital, and attending any community event he could in between his chemotherapy treatments.

CJ died peacefully at home on Tuesday morning. He was 13.

'When he came home two weeks ago, it was with hospice,' his mother Heather Banaszek posted on Facebook on July 15. 'An MRI showed that a fungal infection that he has been fighting for a long time had recently gotten dramatically worse. Please give our family privacy during this time and just send your loving thoughts our way.'

Born Oct. 21, 2000, CJ was the picture of a typical Petaluma kid — he loved playing sports, reading the Harry Potter series and the color orange. He was a fifth-grader at Meadow Elementary School when he was diagnosed with the rare form of leukemia, which accounts for less than 5 percent of childhood cancer cases.

In two years, he underwent three bone marrow transplants, the most recent of which took place in October. Each one required CJ to spend weeks in an isolation room at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, where his mother covered the walls with the smiling faces of CJ's supporters. He kept as normal of a life as possible, even attending classes at Meadow and Kenilworth Junior High through FaceTime.

Although his life was cut short, CJ made sure to make the most of the time he had. He rushed the field with Casa Grande's Gauchos during football season, spent time with Giants superstar Pablo Sandoval and made friends with 'Survivor' host Jeff Probst.

Details of CJ's memorial service had not been finalized by presstime, but will be posted when they become available.

'No need to ask if there's anything you can do to help,' Heather Banaszek wrote on Facebook. 'We promise to ask when we need it. Thank you from the bottom of our broken hearts for your unfailing love and support.'

(Contact Emily Charrier at emily.charrier@arguscourier.com)