After Theft, $400,000 Pours In for Liver Victim

Touched by the plight of a 7-year-old boy who needs a liver transplant, sympathizers from a millionaire industrialist to fast-food restaurant workers followed President Reagan’s lead with more than $400,000 in donations Friday.

At least three businesses called to pledge $5,000 each, quickly offsetting the more than $4,000 raised by Ronnie DeSillers’ classmates but stolen Thursday from his school in Fort Lauderdale.

Volunteers said a $200,000 gift from Victor Posner, chairman of DWG Holding Co., pushed the total pledged to more than $400,000. They said they will continue raising funds, with $1 million the goal, to ensure that all medical costs are covered.

The stolen money was part of $89,000 raised to that point for Ronnie, who needs $162,000 to get onto a waiting list for a transplant at Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital. Final costs could be $300,000 to $500,000, an expense that his mother, a single parent, cannot meet.

Maria DeSillers, 31, lost her medical insurance 4 1/2 years ago when she was unable to make payments because of an extended absence from work to be with her only child during one of his hospital stays.

Ronnie, who is at Miami Children’s Hospital, was cheered by telephone calls Wednesday from Vice President George Bush and President Reagan, who promised he would send a donation.

After news of Reagan’s telephone call was followed by the school theft, fund-raising accelerated and local music groups and radio stations began holding “Ronnie-a-thons.”