Help Ella Beat Dengue Fever and Reunite her Family

Our sweet 16-year old cousin, Ella, contracted a case of dengue fever just after her sophomore year of school finished. Despite her family’s care, her condition worsened to the point where she needed to be hospitalized. While in the hospital, she has developed very serious complications, including internal bleeding, that are now threatening her life. Family is everything to us and it breaks our hearts to see Ella suffer, especially given her family’s circumstances:

Ella’s parents met when her father, Mark (Preston and Becky’s uncle), lived and worked in the Philippines. Mark and Angel fell in love and started building a life together. When Mark’s job there ended in 2023, his visa expired and he was forced to leave Angel, who was pregnant with their third child, Ella and her younger brother behind and return to the United States. Since then, he has been living with Becky’s parents in Orem, Utah while waiting for Angel’s visa to come to the United States.

Nearly two years later, Angel’s visa has still not come through and due to financial constraints, Mark has been unable to travel back to visit his family and has never met his youngest child in person. He has also had his own series of health challenges that have made it difficult to work full time. Meanwhile, Angel, Ella, and her siblings live with her aunt and uncle to save money, while Angel works odd jobs to help support the family and Ella helps care for her younger siblings.

Adding to all of this, Ella and her younger brother, who are U.S. citizens, were all set to move to the United States later this summer in time to start school here in the fall. Her Utah family was looking forward to welcoming her and helping her get settled in her new home. Now she is facing a life-threatening illness that she would not have contracted here.

All donations gathered will help Mark and Angel pay medical bills and travel expenses for Mark to go see Ella, and meet his and Angel’s baby. Any amount will help, and if you can’t donate, we appreciate your prayers and sharing her story. Thank you for your generous support!