Our sweet son, Aziel, made his grand entrance into the world on June 18th, far earlier than his expected due date of September 22nd. While he has been a miracle from the very beginning, his early arrival has brought serious health challenges, and our family's journey has just begun.

Aziel is currently receiving incredible care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD) in Norfolk. He was born with Noonan Syndrome, a genetic disorder, as well as two serious heart defects: a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), which is a hole between the two lower chambers of his heart, and a complex condition where both of his heart's major arteries are connected to the left side of his heart.

As you can imagine, this has turned our world upside down. While we live in Hampton, our days are now spent commuting to and from the NICU in Norfolk. As a dual-income family, this challenge has been magnified by our financial situation. Because Aziel arrived so early, I (Marisol) was placed on unpaid medical leave from my job as a Veterinary Assistant at Petco. The crisis deepened when I suffered my own serious medical complications after the birth, resulting in a separate hospital stay. Losing one of our incomes so unexpectedly has put a significant strain on our finances, especially as new, daily expenses continue to add up.

Our family's world also revolves around our amazing 4-year-old daughter, who is autistic. She requires a great deal of our time and attention with her ongoing occupational, speech, and ABA therapy. Juggling her essential care with the constant needs of a medically fragile baby in the NICU is an incredible challenge.

We are so grateful that Aziel's direct medical costs are covered. However, the unexpected, everyday expenses are creating a heavy burden. We are reaching out for support with the costs of daily travel, gas, hospital parking, meals away from home, and covering our regular household bills with a reduced income.

Your generous donation will directly ease this financial pressure, allowing us to focus all our energy on being present for both of our children. Every bit of support, no matter the size, makes a monumental difference to our family during this uncertain time.

Please keep our fighter, Aziel, and our whole family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Marisol & Family