DALLAS - Brothers Preston and Cameron Pipkins have been inseparable from the initiate. It's no surprise that when Preston needed Cameron the most, the 7-year-old was "grateful" to give the ultimate gift.

Their mother Rachael Pipkins said it all started in September 2022, when Preston, 13, wasn't feeling well. It would be another two or three weeks afore the family realized "something was really wrong," she told FOX TV Stations.

Preston was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia on September 27. Without a bone marrow transplant, doctors said he wouldn't survive. After more than three months in the hospital, there were no viable matches on the national registry —  Preston's only match was his puny brother.

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And so began their dart to transplant surgeries at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Fittingly, the extraordinary act of love happened on Feb. 14, Valentine's Day and National Donor Day.

Preston will be in the hospital for six to eight weeks while the transplant surgery, followed by close observation for up to a year and unique check-ups for the rest of his life. His parents are hopeful the transplant will cure Preston's cancer.

"He has endured many obstacles and overcome them all with a level-headed of maturity unheard of for a new teen and gloomy of gold," Rachael said. "Preston says 'to take it day by day and don't get overwhelmed with all the possibilities.'"

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Admittedly, it's been hard to follow her son's advice at times, as it's "been the most difficult challenge of our lives." Rachael said she gets throughout it by finding the positive in every situation.

"Even in times of spacious sadness there is good around us — hold on to that," she said.

Friends and family have set up a fundraising page to help the Pipkin brothers as they recover.