Fundraiser for my former student, David Zuniga

This fundraiser is for a recent Rye High School graduate, David Zuniga, who I had the pleasure of teaching through home instruction last school year. David is an extraordinary young man who has spent his life battling muscular dystrophy. Tragically, David is now in the late stages of this disease, which has made him wheelchair bound, reliant on a ventilator, and limited his mobility to the use of only three fingers on his right hand. Getting to know David, watching him persevere, helping him develop as an artist, and witnessing the extraordinary body of artwork we were able to create together has been an inspirational and transformative journey for me. Meeting all the requirements to receive his diploma was no easy feat for David or the team of teachers who spent the last two years teaching him at his home. Throughout every obstacle and setback, David maintained an optimistic attitude, a witty sense of humor, and an unwavering determination to graduate from high school: a goal he achieved on June 20, 2025!

As a graduation present, I purchased wheelchair accessible tickets for David and his family to attend the InterMiami CF game at Citifield on September 24th. David's safe attendance at this game requires the use of a medical transport service, nursing care, and a wheelchair rental. This fundraiser is set up to cover the cost of these necessities. Any funds raised beyond the $1,500 goal will be given to the Zuniga family to assist in David's ongoing care.

When you meet David, one of the first things you'll learn about him is that he is an avid soccer fan and the biggest super-fan of Lionel Messi you will ever find. David has never attended a live soccer game, so getting him to Citifield to see his idol, Lionel Messi, will be a once in a lifetime experience for him and a dream come true. Any assistance you can provide in helping make this trip possible, would mean a tremendous amount to me, to David and to his family.

Attached are some photos of my time with David last year. The first photo is from his attendance at the RHS Senior Arts Recognition Dinner where David received the award for Graphic Design. The artwork beside him in this photo is a custom soccer jersey that David designed using an iPad and Procreate. The remaining photos include his Warhol inspired Pop Art piece of Lionel Messi and photos of David creating his artwork.