Help us stand with Alonzo in his heart transplant journey

God bless you! Thank you for clicking the link. My name is Silvia and after some time of avoiding making this GoFundMe... here I am. My bonus son is living at UCLA waiting for his heart transplant.

I am a blessed mom of 2 young men, one of whom is my bonus son Alonzo. Years ago, in June of 2019, while living in Indiana, he got sick with pneumonia that didn't get better but instead got worse very quickly. He went from being a healthy 21-year-old young man living his life to having heart failure. Since 2021, he has been kept alive by God's goodness and his LVAD. An LVAD is short for Left Ventricular Assist Device. It is a device that was implanted into the left side of his heart that functions as his heart. He is literally battery-operated. Although this has been a life-saving device, it doesn't come without daily challenges and some limitations.

Flash forward a couple of years, he suffered a stroke. That stroke looked like the end, but God had and has other plans for Alonzo. Open-heart surgery is a very invasive surgery with a challenging recovery. Not only did he recover from open-heart surgery, but he also learned how to modify his life living with an LVAD and now stroke recovery, yet another obstacle that Alonzo faced and overcame. This affected his motor skills, physical strength, and speech. From not being able to walk without assistance and not being able to bring a fork to his mouth because of how much his hand would shake, 3 years later, he is the healthiest he has ever been, back in California living with Dad, brother, and me.

Alonzo will be 28 years old this coming July. He has navigated these years filled with medical challenges like a champ. Recently, Alonzo has completed his first year of Bible College at California Coast Bible College in Ventura. He has made great friends and grown so much in his faith and as a man. I have seen him light up and look at life with much hope.

Given all of the medical challenges and everything that comes with it, Alonzo wasn't ready for a heart transplant when he initially faced heart failure. That changed 2 years ago. He moved to California and, in a leap of faith, began his journey with UCLA. From the moment he decided to get a heart transplant, every step of this journey has been blessed. From doctor's appointments to procedures, there has been no wait or obstacles.

He has been on the heart transplant list for about a year now and is now a month into living at UCLA while waiting for his heart transplant.

The hope is that he gets his new heart soon. We visit him weekly and take him meals.

Thankfully his medical care is covered. This GoFundMe will help our family with the income loss we will experience when we get the call that he has been matched with a heart. When that call comes, we will drop everything and be by his side. Whatever funds are raised with this fundraiser will go towards home expenses, gas, daily parking fees, food, possible lodging and anything he may want or need during the recovery time depending on how much is raised.

Financial help of any amount is so appreciated. I ask that you also keep the donor and their family in prayer.

Thank you so much for your prayers and your donation.

-Silvia

LVAD video.