One neighbor reaching out to help another neighbor is the story behind a fundraiser to be held March 7 at Combat Sports, LaValley Drive, Manalapan.
Robert Peppard, the general manager of Combat Sports laser tag park, said two twohour sessions will be held that day to benefit the family of Sergio DoSantos of Freehold Township.
DoSantos, 20, is the son of Tony and Maria DoSantos and the neighbor of Peppard and his wife, Lori. The two families have been neighbors for 13 years and Peppard said he has watched DoSantos grow up.
DoSantos is a graduate of the Freehold Regional High School District’s Junior ROTC program at Colts Neck High School. He was a soccer standout for the Cougars.
According to Peppard, in November 2007, DoSantos was diagnosed with a serious form of leukemia called AML. At the time, DoSantos was in his first year at Brookdale Community College. DoSantos was immediately hospitalized and given chemotherapy treatments.
At one point in his treatment, DoSantos fell into a coma. Friends and family attribute his fighting spirit to helping him recover from the coma. In July 2008 he was able to leave the hospital believing he was cancer free.
In September 2008 DoSantos went for his first checkup and was told that he was not cancer free and would have to return to the hospital immediately. His family was told he only had one more chance to beat the disease and that required more chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.
DoSantos endured the chemotherapy and the transplant. In January, DoSantos was able to return home with the hope that he will remain cancer free, according to Peppard.
On March 7 at Combat Sports there will be two two-hour game sessions. Peppard said all people over the age of 9 (boys, girls, moms and dads) are welcome to play. Arrival time for the first session will be 1 p.m. and arrival time for the second session will be 3:15 p.m. The cost to participate is $20 per person. Participants must call 732-845- 9393 to reserve a space. All proceeds will benefit the DoSantos family, which also includes Sergio’s younger sister.
“This young man is a great athlete, scholar and citizen. He is active in his religious community and at school. As difficult as all this was for Sergio and his family, the medical bills are the second tsunami to hit his family.
“His family was at his bedside to enjoy every second they would have with him. Juggling work and family was not easy, and still his mom was always at his bedside day and night. Most nights she would fall asleep at his bedside holding his hand. I am sure you would have done the same for one of your family members,” Peppard said.
“We want to do something for our neighbors and this is what we can do,” he said, referring to the laser tag fundraiser. “We want to do anything we can to make it easier for the family.”

