*First and foremost I'd like to say that this is extremely difficult for me and my two sisters to talk about so please enter this with empathy, compassion, and humanity.*

My name is Gio Santiago and I'm a senior at Brown University. I am a low income student  who was born and raised by an incredibly strong Puerto Rican woman on Chicago's west side.

Backstory:
Unfortunately, my mom became extremely ill in September 2018. We eventually found out that she suffered a minor heart attack. As a result, she was seen by several cardiologists whom eventually came to the conclusion that my mom has coronary artery disease and has 3 major arteries clogged. My mother agreed to do a triple bypass surgery that took place on November 7, 2018. Initially, the surgery was a success. However, after a week, I received devastating  news that my mother suffered a medium grade stroke and huge heart attack that sent her back to the ICU. Even worse news came when the doctors told us that 2 of the 3 bypasses they operated on had failed, and that my mother suffered a lot of brain damage, and several blood clots in her heart, lungs, and brain. Now, my mother's heart is damaged, and she only has 1 bypass working. The doctors told us there was nothing that they could do except wait. Right now, instead of recovering from her surgery, we are working to sustain my mom's life and have her be as comfortable as possible. 

Why am I asking for help? 
My mother is the matriarch of my family. She has supported me and my two siblings since birth and has always been our rock. Now, my mom cannot work, live by herself, and must be attended to at all times. This situation completely alters my  family's financial situation as we have always relied on my mom to support us. Additionally, we  still have my little sister who needs to finish high school, and me who is finishing college hopefully this spring. My siblings and I are asking you all to offer financial support so that we can continue to stay afloat during this very very difficult time. We must figure out ways to pay my mom's bills, help take care of her, and any additional medical costs that have emerged due to this situation. In addition, we ask that you continue to pray, and offer other forms of support for our family so that our mother can make it out of this very difficult time.

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