*My name is Jaylan, and I am creating this fundraiser to help my 72-year-old father, Salah Eldin Salman, receive the urgent open-heart bypass surgery he needs.

My dad is a wonderful man: a cinephile, a man of faith, a devoted animal lover, and someone with a sharp mind and a wicked sense of humor who finds joy in life's simple pleasures. To us, he is the heart of our family.

A few days ago, he suddenly developed severe chest pain and was rushed to the hospital. After extensive testing, we received devastating news. His left main coronary artery, one of the heart's most important blood vessels, is 99% blocked by severe plaque buildup. The entrance to another major coronary artery is also 99% blocked. His doctors have determined that several major arteries are critically diseased and that he urgently requires open-heart coronary artery bypass surgery to restore blood flow to his heart.

Like many families, we never imagined we would face something like this.

The diagnosis has brought enormous emotional and financial strain. Beyond the surgery itself, we are facing the costs of hospital admission, surgeon's fees, medications, blood tests, imaging studies, intensive care, post-operative treatment, follow-up appointments, rehabilitation, and transportation for ongoing medical care.

More than anything, we want to keep our father as comfortable, hopeful, and emotionally supported as possible throughout this difficult journey. Open-heart surgery is physically demanding, and approaching it with as much peace of mind as possible is an important part of recovery. Our goal is to allow him to focus on healing instead of worrying about whether his family can afford the care he needs.

My family has been struggling financially for several years. My sister and I are doing everything we can to support our parents, but the costs of surgery and recovery are beyond what we can manage on our own. My father is not covered by medical insurance, and we are trying to choose the best surgeon and hospital we can reasonably afford to give him the greatest possible chance of a successful surgery and recovery.

If you are able to help, no matter the amount, your generosity will bring us one step closer to giving our father the treatment he urgently needs.

If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser with your family, friends, or community would mean just as much to us.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your kindness, your generosity, and your prayers. They give our family strength and hope during one of the most difficult times of our lives.*