Giovanni Earned His Angel Wings

Last update:
On Saturday November 10, 2018 at 11:59am Giovanni Rocco Poliseo passed away in the loving arms of his Mother Merina and Father Tom. He was surrounded by family and went peacefully into Heaven.

Update: 11/7/18 Merina and Tom have had to make the hardest decision of their lives. They are going to have to remove Giovanni from life support as we have run out of options for him to survive. Please help us get our family to Missouri to kiss him goodbye. In addition there will be costs associated with arrangements for his passing. Anything you can do to help us will be so very much appreciated.

Update 10/12/18: Giovanni has fought and his body is stronger than the doctors had thought. He has survived 9 weeks and has been making tiny baby steps and as a result, they feel he is ready to undergo his second surgery, open heart to fix the atrial septal defect and possibly the mitral valve regurgitation. The mitral valve will be contingent on whether or not the tissue is thick enough to hold stitches. If it is this will also be repaired. He is having surgery on 10/15/18. This is going to be a high risk surgery due to his critical state and is going to involve an extremely long recovery period. He is fortunate enough to be able to have the surgery performed right at his current hospital Mercy Children’s Hospital, which is a blessing as originally he was not a candidate for any surgery what so ever. He will require cardiac bypass during the surgery and the hopes of being able to be removed once complete. He may also require cardiac support such as ECMO or CPS.
PLEASE DONATE! Both of his parents have been out of work since his birth on 8/6/18. There are so many bills associated with having a sick child in addition to maintaining the regular cost of living. He is fighting his congenital heart disease with every stride he makes and every breath he takes. He is a warrior and is going to make it through this. Any amount of donation will help.

Original fundraiser 8/6/18:
Giovanni is in CRITICAL CONDITION on LIFE SUPPORT and is fighting for his life. He needs your help! He was born on 8/6/18 with MULTIPLE congenital heart defects. He had a coarctation repair via open heart surgery at just 6 days old. He has been diagnosed with atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with restrictive physiology which is further complicating his congenital heart defects. He has multi-organ involvement including both of his kidneys. At present he is not a candidate for a heart transplant due to the kidney involvement. The family in conjunction with his medical team are trying to do everything they can to help Giovanni grow and let his body develop and stabilize so they can try to save his life and have him transferred to a hospital that can perform life saving surgery. He is on a sleu of medications to try to find the right balance for his heart, kidneys, and lungs. He has had multiple setbacks including an infection, a collapsed lung, and chylothorax. He has had multiple blood transfusions and has had to have chest compressions done on a few occasions. Despite all of these Giovanni CONTINUES TO FIGHT everyday for his life. He hasn’t given up and we won’t either. We are doing everything we can to see to it that Giovanni can grow stronger each day enabling him the chance to have surgery and to LIVE. Giovanni has been through more in 6 short weeks than most of us will endure in a lifetime.

Merina, Giovanni’s mom had one chance at having a child. She is BRCA2 positive and had scheduled surgery to remove her ovaries and Fallopian tubes to prevent ovarian and breast cancer. When she found out she was pregnant she knew this was divine intervention and that Giovanni was a special baby. Merina’s mom, Joanne, is in remission from Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer.

https://www.kmbc.com/article/kansas-infant-battling-multiple-congenital-heart-defects-to-transfer-to-texas-for-chance-at-life/23287993

https://www.kmbc.com/article/mission-kansas-family-running-out-of-options-to-treat-infants-congenital-heart-defects/23120851


HOW YOU CAN HELP

We are raising money to help Giovanni and his parents Merina and Tom. The costs associated with having a critically ill child are suffocating. Both parents have a loss of income, and bills are piling up on every end. Merina and Tom are fearful to leave Giovanni’s side right now as his is in such a fragile state on life support. Financial difficulties are stressful enough without the burden of having a critically sick child. With this diagnosis, Giovanni’s medical bills will continue for many years. The hospital has informed them that this is going to be a very prolonged process.

Anything that you can do will help their family, and will be so very much appreciated. Remember even a dollar adds up. He is in ICU at the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.

Let’s all do our best to support Merina, Tom, and Giovanni and show our support and help however we can. No one wants to experience the uncertainty Giovanni’s family is going through. If you are able, please help and support Giovanni.
Please keep following for updates as we have them.

Giovanni has a Facebook page: @PleasehelpGiovanni. Please visit and like and follow. We post all updates there as well.

Instagram: pleasehelpgiovanni please follow

Gifts and keepsakes can be sent to his Aunt Beth who will send to the family:

Please Help Giovanni
P.O. Box 110373
Palm Bay, FL 32911


With Love,
Giovanni and Family