Riverdale Boy Braves Long Recovery From Toxic Episode

Three and a half years after an accident badly damaged portions of Chase Essex's throat, the Riverdale resident—now seven years old—is on a long and remarkable road to recovery.

In a Jan. 4 column for the Washington Post, John Kelly tells the story of how, in 2008, Chase unknowingly swallowed a small quantity of lye residue left from his father's efforts to unclog a bathroom sink. The powerful chemical "destroyed" his esophagus and did serious harm to his trachea and epiglottis.

With the help of a tracheotomy and extensive treatment from the Children’s National Medical Center, the boy survived. Though Chase still faces considerable medical challenges, he is now a second-grader at Goddard Elementary, the youngest of four siblings.

For more, read the Post's full account of the Essex family's story.