NJ Boy Who Wanted To Be Spider-Man Donates Organs To Others

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — Caleb Van de Voort believed he was a superhero. Now, he really is one.

Van de Voort, an 8-year-old from Haledon, died suddenly Monday after going into cardiac arrest Sunday night. ABC7 reported Van de Voort had a severe asthma attack.

"My beautiful son always wanted to help others, so he has become an organ donor," Justin Van de Voort said on the GoFundMe page.

Van de Voort once offered his kidney to his step-grandfather, who was on dialysis three times a week.

Van de Voort's donation will save eight lives and his tissues will help another 75 people, ABC7 reported. His step-grandfather declined to receive Van de Voor's kidney, NorthJersey.com reported.

"Words can not describe the feelings and emotions that I have been experiencing. A deeply-seeded sadness is chief among them because I will never hear his voice again his laugh or the thuds of him pretending to be Spider-Man bouncing around the house," Justin Van de Voort said on the GoFundMe campaign's website. "But in this sadness and I could go in but in his memory that is not what I want nor what he would want."

Van de Voort was a second-grader at Haledon Public School. He is survived by his father and mother, Crystal, younger brother Adrian; grandparents Nancy and Louis Mercuro and Roy and Jill Van De Voort; and many aunts and uncles.

Visitation with the family is Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at DeLuccia-Lozito Funeral Home, 265 Belmont Ave., Haledon. Cremation will be private.

The family would appreciate memorial gifts be made to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

"He was my rock and I hurt in ways I cannot describe," Justin Van de Voort said, "but I picture him now happier than ever with much love where he is and everything he could ever want."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: Caleb Van de Voort (Courtesy of GoFundMe, a promotional partner with Patch)