Evan Miravella Campaign

I am reaching out today on behalf of my dearest friend Iliana and her 10 year old son Evan.  Evan has been suffering from an undiagnosed brain condition since April of 2018.  Iliana is an amazing single mom to three children, Vincent, Victoria, and Evan.  She also supports her mother who lives with the family.  Iliana works full-time in sales to support the family, but since last April, her life has been turned upside down since Evan had his first visit to the emergency room in Houston.

On that day of April 16th 2018, Evan's life changed forever.  He went from being a normal 9 almost 10 years old boy who had never had any health issues to a puzzling case that none of the many doctors who have seen him can figure out.  On that day, Evan hit his head on the car door, and 45 minutes later was having a grand mal seizure.  After being medevac’d from the Woodlands to Children’s Houston, and after 1 1/2 days in the ICU and 1 day in the hospital, Evan was sent home to Dallas.  Doctors said it was some bleeding on his brain from the hit that had caused the seizure, and he should be fine in several weeks.  When they arrived home to Dallas that day, they ended up in the hospital again that night after another seizure.  Since April, Evan has been in the ER 9 times, hospitalized 7 times, and been in the ICU 2 additional times.  He has had 3 seizures, 1 hemorrhagic stroke, 1 stroke and communicating hydrocephalus, and just last week he had a surgery to implant a shunt to remove the pressure that was building in his brain.  His pressure was actually so high that the medical device could not actually read it.  The doctors were in disbelief that Evan hadn’t fallen into a coma.  Since Evan came out of surgery, he has had another episode of subclinical seizures affecting the use of his arms, legs and face.  In the midst of all of this, the teams of neurologists and neurosurgeons at Children’s Dallas have given him 3 different diagnoses.  They now admit they have no idea what is happening to Evan. 

I never hear my friend Iliana complain or ask for anything.  She always has a smile on her face – especially when she is by Evan’s bedside.  When she needs to cry she goes outside his room, and then comes back with a big smile and says “How you doing buddy?”  She is always the first to welcome people into her home and her life.  She won’t tell you that she can’t pay the rent or doesn’t know how she will pay the now $15,000.00 of medical bills that have accumulated.  She doesn’t mention that she will need to pay another $5000.00 in a few short months to pay her deductible for Evan’s continued care.  She doesn’t mention that since she is in sales, her weeks in the hospital means she doesn’t have money to pay any of the bills. 

Anyone who knows sweet Evan, who, like his mother, is always kind and generous, a friend to his classmates and the one who gives us the most hugs, I hope will want to help their family in this difficult time.  If you don’t know Evan, Iliana or the rest of the family, we ask for prayers for answers and healing.  God always provides and can work miracles – of this I am sure!  If you feel moved, as an answer to the many blessings you have received in your life, to help them out, to be a sign of love in their lives, I know they would welcome your support.  May God bless you!