Our little angel, my daughter Dana, is a 19-year-old young woman. She's mature, kind, calm, intelligent, and very bright. She was a sophomore at UCSC. She has excellent academic grades, is a ballet and folklore dancer, an avid swimmer, and an active advocate for social rights. She was living the normal life of a college student far from home... On Saturday, April 26, she called me from the hospital in Santa Cruz, California, crying and telling me, while fearing, that her face was numb on the right side and that the CT scan had revealed a brain hemorrhage. I was in shock with my cell phone on speakerphone in San Diego. Erik and Danilo, sitting next to me, heard Dana's shocking call. My first reaction was to answer: "Don't worry, mija! You're already in the hospital, and everything will be okay. It's God's plan!" The three of us flew to be with her. Dana was stable in the ICU for four days, and on her tenth day of hospitalization, she underwent surgery for a midbrain hemorrhage due to a ruptured arterial/venous cavernous malformation. Her first three days after surgery were critical and exhausting. My daughter fought to live, and I was devastated, praying and looking for a thousand ways to help her, monitoring her progress as a mother, and constantly communicating with her understanding doctor, to whom I am deeply grateful. She learned to swallow, speak, sit, and walk again. Today, she continues speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychotherapy three days a week. The entire family is convinced that she will make a full recovery with time, patience, and continued hard work, but above all, with God's grace. We have so much faith!

This event changed the way we live. Life. It touched our souls, it broke us, and we have been healing them little by little every day. Watching my daughter live this great suffering almost drives me crazy. However, I know that all human beings must live day by day. One day at a time. God has never abandoned us—my Dana, my family, and me—and I fully trust in His mercy!

Amidst all the changes and impacts, this has left us with a great debt. It has consumed our well-being, health, time, attention, morale, and also our money. Today we ask for help with this financial need (because we have a large debt from hospital expenses and more). My husband, Erik, will have a second job. I will undoubtedly be working in a few months, once I finish the chemotherapy for my newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Our goal for remission face. Indeed, one more challenge in life! Ah, ah! Ohhh! I will overcome this with the support of God, my husband, my Dana, my Danilo, and all of you! All of you, my friends and family who love and support us. We send you endless blessings and will be grateful for your support from today and forever!

Love,

Gloria