Daniel And Forrest's Recovery
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Hello my name is Ana ,I graduated a few years ago from Walt Whitman High School in Huntington NY, where I received all the help and support I needed with my ESL classes. Anita Ramirez was one of my favorite teachers, she stayed long hours after school tutoring and helping me, she will always have a special place in my heart for all she did for me. Now I would like to do something for her, by creating this page. Her twin sons Daniel and Forrest have been diagnosed with a rare disease that attacks many of their organs. They became paraplegic and they are currently fighting for their lives.
The following was written by Daniel and Forrest's mom, Anita Ramirez:
Over the past 4-5 years, my twin boys, Daniel and Forrest, have had to endure more challenges than most people endure in their lifetime. At age 17 they were diagnosed with a disease so rare it has no name. They've had to withstand multiple life-saving operations (open-heart surgeries, brain surgeries, and multiple others, so many I've lost count), including their last major operation, which left them as paraplegics. This disease that has no name came like a thief in the night, taking so much away from them, including their dreams of military service, of working full-time at a job they are passionate about, of living independently and having families of their own. But still they fight on, making the most of what they have left. They inspire me to keep going every single day.
When Daniel, who ran track for 6 years realized he would never run again, he learned how to channel his athleticism into other sports like wheelchair basketball and sled hockey. He learned how to drive a car with hand controls and got a driver's license so he could drive legally as a disabled person. He drove himself to every practice and game, despite the 10 minutes it took just to get himself into his car, take apart his wheelchair on the street while sitting in the driver's seat and then reassemble it when he got to his destination. (Most of us would probably just call it a day and stay home, rather that deal with all of that.) As a result, his wheelchair has taken quite a beating.
In addition to pursuing his sports and the dream of one day being a paralympian, last year Daniel decided he was strong enough to go to college. He took 2-3 courses a semester. The busyness was good for him; it gave him a purpose each day! While doing all of that, he has had several medical setbacks in the past 12 months. A few months after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure, he had a defibrillator implanted next to his heart. Despite how tired he was feeling, he kept going. He got straight As in college that semester. This past spring, he had internal bleeding and needed to get his spleen removed. It was a very long recovery and he couldn't drive for a couple of months but with help, he stayed in school and again earned straight As.
This past spring, he was diagnosed with a very large stage 4 pressure wound that went straight to his bone. It has since gotten infected and part of the bone has died. In the hospital, he has had several ups and downs. He was in the ICU for a week a couple of weeks ago and he has needed several blood transfusions, the last one only a few days ago.
Daniel will likely be in the hospital for several more weeks, with a skin graft procedure scheduled for January. In the meantime, I am hoping to be able to purchase him a new wheelchair. His old one is all banged up; the brakes don't work and it is too large for him now, as he has lost quite a bit of weight. A new wheelchair will cost about $3,500 and insurance won't pay for a replacement for a few more years. A new chair takes about 2 months to make and it is my wish to have one waiting for him when he gets out of the hospital. He will likely be on bedrest for a few more months, but I hope seeing that shiny new chair will motivate him in his recovery.
Thank you for reading all of this! I appreciate any help you can provide. May God bless you and your family.
❤ -- Anita Ramirez, Daniel and Forrest's mother.

The following was written by Daniel and Forrest's mom, Anita Ramirez:
Over the past 4-5 years, my twin boys, Daniel and Forrest, have had to endure more challenges than most people endure in their lifetime. At age 17 they were diagnosed with a disease so rare it has no name. They've had to withstand multiple life-saving operations (open-heart surgeries, brain surgeries, and multiple others, so many I've lost count), including their last major operation, which left them as paraplegics. This disease that has no name came like a thief in the night, taking so much away from them, including their dreams of military service, of working full-time at a job they are passionate about, of living independently and having families of their own. But still they fight on, making the most of what they have left. They inspire me to keep going every single day.
When Daniel, who ran track for 6 years realized he would never run again, he learned how to channel his athleticism into other sports like wheelchair basketball and sled hockey. He learned how to drive a car with hand controls and got a driver's license so he could drive legally as a disabled person. He drove himself to every practice and game, despite the 10 minutes it took just to get himself into his car, take apart his wheelchair on the street while sitting in the driver's seat and then reassemble it when he got to his destination. (Most of us would probably just call it a day and stay home, rather that deal with all of that.) As a result, his wheelchair has taken quite a beating.
In addition to pursuing his sports and the dream of one day being a paralympian, last year Daniel decided he was strong enough to go to college. He took 2-3 courses a semester. The busyness was good for him; it gave him a purpose each day! While doing all of that, he has had several medical setbacks in the past 12 months. A few months after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure, he had a defibrillator implanted next to his heart. Despite how tired he was feeling, he kept going. He got straight As in college that semester. This past spring, he had internal bleeding and needed to get his spleen removed. It was a very long recovery and he couldn't drive for a couple of months but with help, he stayed in school and again earned straight As.
This past spring, he was diagnosed with a very large stage 4 pressure wound that went straight to his bone. It has since gotten infected and part of the bone has died. In the hospital, he has had several ups and downs. He was in the ICU for a week a couple of weeks ago and he has needed several blood transfusions, the last one only a few days ago.
Daniel will likely be in the hospital for several more weeks, with a skin graft procedure scheduled for January. In the meantime, I am hoping to be able to purchase him a new wheelchair. His old one is all banged up; the brakes don't work and it is too large for him now, as he has lost quite a bit of weight. A new wheelchair will cost about $3,500 and insurance won't pay for a replacement for a few more years. A new chair takes about 2 months to make and it is my wish to have one waiting for him when he gets out of the hospital. He will likely be on bedrest for a few more months, but I hope seeing that shiny new chair will motivate him in his recovery.
Thank you for reading all of this! I appreciate any help you can provide. May God bless you and your family.
❤ -- Anita Ramirez, Daniel and Forrest's mother.
Organizer and beneficiary
Cecy Hernández
Organizer
Brentwood, NY
Anita Ramirez
Beneficiary