Cruz has been battling eye problems for several years now, and what we all feared would happen has happened.

Back in 2020, Cruz found out that he had an eye disease called Keratoconus. Keratoconus is the weakening and thinning of the cornea that can also leave scarring. It can occur in one or both eyes. As the disease advances, the eye begins to bulge outward, taking on the shape of a football -- as opposed to the round basketball shape of a healthy eye. This disease affects 1 in 500 to 1 in 2,000 people in the general population. Its cause is unknown.

Unfortunately, Cruz found out that both of his eyes were showing signs of Keratoconus. Cruz was then faced with the difficult decision of getting expensive surgery to stop the disease from getting worse or purchasing custom $1500.00 contacts in order to get his vision back until he could afford the surgery. He elected to get the contacts and hold off on having major surgery for the time being.

From the time of his original diagnosis to now, things have gotten progressively worse. Keratoconus progression is unpredictable. This process can happen over several years or extremely quickly, but generally, it begins during puberty and progresses fastest up to age 25. He tried living with it, but it became too much to deal with. Cruz’s eyes have reached a point where there is nothing that can be done with his corneas.

On April 17th Cruz will undergo a corneal transplant for one of his eyes. A cornea transplant can restore your ability to see, but it is an invasive procedure that requires a lengthy recovery process. Cornea transplant recovery can take up to a year for patients who have had their entire cornea replaced. But after 6 months he will have to endure the surgery yet again on his other eye. This surgery will leave him unable to drive or work for an extended period.

If you know Cruz, you know that he eats, sleeps, and breathes music. The music community is more than a collective of friends to him, it’s his family. This diagnosis, and the news that followed, leaves him and his music career at a very uncertain point.

Cruz is the type of person that lifts us all up. I know if you’re reading this, you know what I mean. He has left such a tremendous impact on those who have met him. Whether it’s sitting around the campfire or behind that Mapex drum set, he brings laughter and love to every person that he meets. He never complains and he never asks for anything. This journey that he is about to begin is going to be long and scary, and he is going to need some help from all of us.

The money needed for surgery plus numerous follow-up visits and lenses following recovery from both surgeries will be $20,000.00. This amount feels almost unreal and has left Cruz and his family feeling hopeless, and that only covers his medical expenses, not his living expenses.

He has given us all so many great memories and has been the best friend any of us could ask for. It’s time that we gave him some of that love back. If you can afford to help him out and donate, you will take some of that burden off him and his family. If you can’t afford to donate, he could still use your love, prayers, and encouragement. Please reach out to him and let him know how much you love him because he needs it.

If you would like to donate with Cash App, you can do so by sending your donation to $YIYA456. This account is managed by his mother, Angela Rivera, and the proceeds will go directly to medical expenses. If you would like to help Cruz out with his day-to-day life, you can send him any donations to his Venmo account. His account name is @Cruz-Salazar-1.

Thank you all for everything, and God bless you!