Our dad is the strongest man we know, but right now, he’s in the fight of his life. What started as a sudden collapse at home due to dangerously low blood pressure turned into a battle with heart failure we never imagined facing. My dad survived open-heart surgery to repair an aortic dissection, but for the past two weeks, he has been in the ICU, unable to wake up safely. Every attempt to ease him out of sedation causes his blood pressure to spike dangerously above 200.

Meanwhile, his body is fighting against a pulmonary embolism, anoxic brain injury, and bilateral pneumonia from the ventilator. The neurologist has warned us that his brain injury won’t even show up on scans—only time will tell if he can come back to us. Every day, we sit by his side, hoping for a sign that he’s still in there—that he’s fighting to come back to us. For our family, these past 2 weeks have been a rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak.

Before we even knew my dad needed surgery, he was in tears, apologizing to our family—not for being sick, but for the financial burden he knew this would cause. Even in his most vulnerable moment, he was thinking about us. We told him not to worry. We promised him everything would be okay.

Now, we are doing everything we can to keep that promise.

We have some relief in knowing that Medi-Cal will likely cover a large portion of his hospital expenses, but there are still critical aspects of his care that won’t be covered—things we absolutely need help with. If our dad survives, he may require a long-term acute care facility, rehabilitation, and extensive medical support that will fall on our family. These costs will be overwhelming, and we need help to make sure he gets the best possible chance at recovery.

If the worst happens, we are left not only mourning the loss of our father but also fighting to protect everything he worked for. His dream was simple: to keep our family together under one roof, in the home he built with love and hard work. But unexpected medical expenses, estate recovery programs for assets under his name, and a complicated probate process now threaten to take that away.

Where Your Donations Will Go:

If our dad recovers, every dollar will go toward his continued care, including costs that Medi-Cal won’t cover, such as acute care, rehabilitation, and home modifications if needed.

If the worst happens, all funds will be used to secure our family home, support our mom—who can no longer work during this crisis—and ensure that my dad’s legacy lives on.

We never thought we would have to ask for help like this, but we cannot do this alone. If you can donate, share, or spread the word, you will be making a life-changing difference for our family.

Our dad has grandchildren who miss him, a wife who refuses to give up on him, and a family desperate to bring him home.

Please, help us give him a fighting chance. My family and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I've spent the past two weeks in the hospital with my mother, showing the nurses and doctors videos of my father when he was healthy, in an effort to humanize him - to remind them that he isn't just a patient in bed.

In an effort to celebrate his birthday today, I made a video that will help you see my dad through my eyes. Though my video editing skills aren't great, I invite you to look at my dad through the recent years when he was full of life.

My greatest hope is that the happiest moments of our lives won't be found in this video alone, and that we'll be able to make many more beautiful memories with my father, together. Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and prayers for my dad.