Episode 9: The holiday season tends to be a time of excess – of celebration, of eating, and for adults it tends to include drinking alcohol too. On the heels of the new year, this episode of On Call Off Script explores the real health benefits behind breaking a holiday habit of heavy drinking. Our experts Dr. Brett Fortune and Dr. Chinmay Jani discuss how Dry January can be more than just a 31-day fast and why your liver will thank you for embracing a healthier lifestyle.

Guest Info:

Brett Fortune, MD

Dr. Brett Fortune is a the chief medical officer and transplant hepatologist at Miami Transplant Institute. In this episode he explains the benefits of a healthy liver and lifestyle.

Chinmay Jani, MD:

Dr. Chinmay Jani is the chief fellow of hematology and oncology at Jackson Memorial Hospital and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Hear what he has to say about the risks behind heavy drinking.

Episode 8: Eight-year-old Dylan Smith is all energy, jokes, and big dreams today—but his miracle story begins with every parent’s worst nightmare: a near-drowning in the family’s backyard pool.

In this special Month of Miracles episode of On Call, Off Script, host Ruelle Champion sits down with Dylan’s mom, Tiffany Smith, pediatric critical care doctor Dr. Asumthia Jeyapalan, and pediatric physical therapist Kyle Zreibe to share how a summer afternoon turned into a life-or-death emergency.

Tiffany walks us through the terrifying moments of finding Dylan unresponsive in the water, calling 911, and watching her husband and a neighbor, Lissette Medina, who happens to work as a physician assistant at Holtz Children’s Hospital, perform CPR until fire rescue arrived. Dr. Jeyapalan helps listeners understand what those first moments mean for a child after a near-drowning, why quick action matters so much, and how the team at Holtz Children’s came together to give Dylan the best possible chance when everything was still unknown.

Then, Kyle narrates how rehab turned basic movements like sitting, standing, and taking those first steps into major milestones for Dylan and his family. Finally, Dylan joins the conversation himself to talk about snakes, Disney rides, and what it feels like to be a “miracle story” at Jackson.

It’s an honest, emotional, and ultimately uplifting reminder that it truly takes a village to save a child, support a family, and help a little boy get back to just being a kid again.

Guest Bios:

Asumthia Jeyapalan, DO

Dr. Asumthia Jeyapalan is an attending doctor in the Holtz Children’s Hospital pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and an associate professor of pediatric critical care medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In this episode, she explains what happens to a child’s body during a near-drowning, why immediate, high-quality CPR is critical, and how the PICU team supported Dylan Smith’s lungs, brain, and vital organs during the most uncertain hours of his recovery.

Kyle Zreibe

Kyle Zreibe is a physical therapist at Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial. He specializes in pediatric rehabilitation, and was consulted to begin physical therapy with Dylan when he was admitted to the PICU. Zreibe was Dylan’s primary physical therapist when he was admitted to Lynn Rehabilitation Center, and now follows him in the center’s outpatient clinic.

Tiffany Smith

Tiffany Smith is Dylan’s mom and a devoted parent who, alongside her husband Brandon, faced every family’s worst nightmare when their young son experienced a near-drowning accident. In this episode, Tiffany shares her family’s story with honesty and vulnerability, reflecting on the fear, resilience, and community support that carried them through Dylan’s recovery. She and Brandon are also parents to their 13-year-old daughter, Olivia.

Dylan Smith

Dylan Smith is an energetic, curious kid with a big personality and even bigger dreams. After surviving a near-drowning at a young age, Dylan became one of Jackson Health System’s miracle stories. In this episode, he joins the conversation himself—sharing his love for adventure, laughter, and life, and reminding listeners what recovery, resilience, and hope truly look like through a child’s eyes.

Episode 7: December is our Month of Miracles, highlighting our strong patients and families, the excellent care at Holtz Children’s Hospital, and the power of community. In this episode, we meet 14-year-old Jake Alexander Kleppen, known to his Instagram community as “Jake the Victorious Warrior.” Jake has not only battled cancer once, but twice, showing a resilience that lifts up everyone around him.

Joined by his mother, Marisel Jarrin Kleppen, and Dr. David Crawford, director of pediatric stem cell transplantation at Holtz Children’s, and specialist at UHealth – University of Miami Health System, Jake shares the journey from his first diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone and soft tissue cancer, at 8 years old , to a shocking second diagnosis of leukemia nearly five years later.

Throughout the episode, listeners hear:

• How a routine check-up unexpectedly revealed a mass behind Jake’s eye.
• The emotional toll of treatment on both Jake and his family, including long hospital stays, isolation, and the fear of cancer coming back.
• Jake’s second cancer diagnosis, and the intense treatment plan that followed with help from the medical team in the bone marrow transplant unit at Holtz Children’s, including a successful bone marrow transplant from his brother.
• How Jake’s humor, optimism, and larger-than-life personality carried him and his care team through their most difficult moments.

This episode is a reminder that miracles are made daily at Jackson through expert care, advanced medicine, and the extraordinary spirit of patients like Jake.

Guest Bios:

Jake Alexander Kleppen

A vibrant 14-year-old and two-time cancer survivor, Jake is known for his upbeat personality, sharp wit, passion for aviation, and his determination to make the best out of every circumstance. Whether flying drones, wearing costumes to clinic visits, or making his care team laugh during rounds, Jake embodies resilience and courage.

Marisel Jarrin Kleppen

Marisol is Jake’s mother and unwavering advocate. She shares her experiences navigating the fear, uncertainty, and emotional toll of watching a child battle cancer twice. Her honesty and strength highlight the importance of family support, mental health resources, and community during long-term pediatric illness.

David Crawford, MD

Dr. David Crawford is the director of pediatric stem cell transplantation at Holtz Children’s Hospital, and a specialist with UHealth – University of Miami Health System. Dr. Crawford specializes in complex pediatric cancers, stem cell transplantation, and the treatment of secondary leukemia. He brings expert insight into Jake’s diagnosis, treatment, and bone marrow transplant.