We are asking for help for our dear friends, Dani and Rilyn Gherardini for their first baby, their dog, Maverick. On the morning of October 9, 2025, Dani noticed Maverick showing signs of extreme distress. She proceeded to find Maverick lying outside, under their deck crying in pain to the point where he could barely walk. He was extremely bloated so naturally, Dani rushed him to their vet. During that visit, the doctors performed an X-Ray to find out that Maverick has Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV) and needed to undergo emergency surgery at VCA since this is a life-threatening emergency.

Dani and Rilyn were told that they wouldn't know if Maverick would be okay until they started to perform the surgery to see the extent of the damage. GDV, if left untreated, causes blood flow to cut off to the stomach and other organs, which can be fatal if not addressed immediately. During Maverick's surgery, the doctors found a large portion of his stomach had already died, along with his spleen, therefor they needed to remove that portion of his stomach and his spleen to give him any chance of survival.

Maverick is more than just a dog to Dani and Rilyn; he is their first baby together. He is their 5-month-old daughter, Reagan's favorite form of entertainment when he plays ball with his dad. Maverick is special. There wasn't a single moment of hesitation from Dani and Rilyn when it came to making the decision to go through with the surgery, regardless of them being told it would cost them $10,000-$20,000. They would stop at nothing to make sure that Maverick got every chance he could get to live the long life he deserves, as he is only 7 years old.

Maverick still has a very long road to recovery. Even though the surgery was successful, the care that is needed to help him recover requires a variety of medications, a specialized diet, and will likely need a lot of physical help to get him around.

To help Maverick and the Gherardini family, we are asking for donations to contribute to the financial hardship that came with saving their baby boy. After being quoted as much as they did, they are now sitting with over $31,000 in medical bills, and they are not done accruing. Dani and Rilyn love their dogs, and they are an amazing family that goes above and beyond for everyone in their lives. We are hoping that in this time, we can do the same for them.