A Marine’s Toughest Battle: Help René Fight GBS

Hi everyone,

My name is Makayla (Rose) Fuentes, and I am creating this GoFundMe to help relieve my Grandpa René Alamillo’s medical bills. For those who don’t know me, I’m the daughter of Laura Alamillo (now Fuentes) and the youngest granddaughter of a man who has always been my family's hero.

If you know my grandpa, you know he never complains—he downplays pain, whether physical or emotional. That’s just who he is: a Purple Heart Marine Veteran who fought his way through Vietnam. He has always been strong-willed, just as he was in 1966 at 22 years old, serving his country.

But now, at 80 years old, he is facing another battle—one we never saw coming.

A Life-Changing Diagnosis

On January 8, 2025, my grandpa woke up with a headache and weakness in his thighs. As the day went on, the weakness worsened. He decided to rest, unaware that he was about to wake up to the start of his second war. When he tried to stand, his legs gave out. Unable to walk, an ambulance rushed him to the emergency room, where we waited for four agonizing hours before he was admitted.

Within 24 hours, the numbness in his legs had spread. He was completely paralyzed from his shoulders to his toes. The rapid decline in his motor skills was terrifying. My grandpa—who once carried the weight of the world on his shoulders—could no longer move his own body.

Doctors diagnosed him with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, leading to weakness, numbness, and, in severe cases, total paralysis.

Fight for His Life

Ever since I was little, my grandpa has been a strong full-of-life person—always working with his hands, exploring the outdoors, traveling with family, and cheering on his grandkids at their games. Seeing him battle the effects of GBS, over the past three months has been absolutely heartbreaking.

Every day felt like another loss. Every day, I wished to hear his voice again. Sitting in the NICU, watching his body shake from the machine designed to prevent blood clots with an endotracheal tube, I just wanted to hear him say, “My Kayla Poo” like he always did. Instead, I saw only pain and exhaustion in his eyes.

If you were there to celebrate his 80th birthday in October, seeing him now—just four months later—would break your heart.

Why We Need Your Help

My grandpa wasn’t just lucky enough to survive this long—he was meant to be here. He has fought through so much, and now, we need to fight for him.

My family has endured many hardships, illnesses, and losses, always finding strength in each other. But this time, we need help. We are reaching out to our chosen family—our friends, our community—to be a pillar of support for us during this unimaginable time.

Any donation, no matter the amount, will help ease the burden of my grandpa’s medical bills and ensure he gets the care he needs.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your love, kindness, and generosity.

With gratitude,

Makayla Fuentes