WILLOWBROOK, Ill. (WLS) — A pancake breakfast fundraiser was held Saturday in the west suburbs to benefit a local high school student in need of a kidney.

Hinsdale Central High School student Alex Quintero, 17, is now in kidney failure after spending much of his life fighting a rare disease called atypical HUS.

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Inside the cafeteria at Willowbrook’s Gower West Elementary School, Quintero’s mother Amanda Sheridan saw her community grew by the plateful on Saturday.

“It’s good to see there’s good people and they are your neighbors,” Sheridan said. “The community support has been insane. I didn’t know what to expect and I love it.”

An early Easter pancake breakfast rallied loving neighbors around Sheridan’s 17-year-old son, who just started dialysis treatments and is awaiting a kidney.

Sheridan’s been on a mission to make sure her son finds a donor, putting an ad on her car to let the community know about her pancake breakfast event.

“Organ donation is the greatest thing,” Sheridan said. “When I was 15, filling out a permit, I signed up to be a donor before I knew anyone who needed an organ.”

Each plate of food sold a the Saturday event cost $7, with all funds going to Quintero’s family to help offset some of his pricey medical bills.

Breakfast attendee Christina Mermigas said she had to be there.

“There are so many families here,” Mermigas said. “As soon as they hear about a sick kid, yes absolutely we’ll pitch in and help.”

Willowbrook Mayor Frank Trilla said he saw the ad on Sheridan’s car, and he and the Kewanis Club had to step up to help organize the breakfast. He’s a kidney recipient himself.

“The sooner the better we can help Alex,” Trilla said. “He’s just about on the cusp of going to college… kid with all this potential.”

A community’s simple act of kindness could help save a life.

“I’ve never met some of these people and I’m already like wow it’s just like a grab of affection,” Quintero’s sister Bella Sheridan said. “It’s awesome.”