RIP Jennifer. Support her three children.

My name is José Guillermo, and this is the story of my wife, Jennifer, and the three kids she left behind.

At only 38 years old, shortly after moving to the United States from Ecuador, my wife became unusually tired from simple activities. She had always been a very active and strong mother, and I didn't think much of her fatigue until I noticed her having difficulty keeping up with our youngest son Santiago, who is only six years old.

Eventually, her body became swollen, and she was transferred to our local hospital. After admitting Jennifer, the doctors observed that she had a rare condition of pulmonary hypertension that would soon result in heart failure. We quickly put her on medication, but the doctors told us there was no cure for her condition. As a family, we decided to transfer Jennifer to Temple University Hospital, where specialists could give her the best chance of survival to stay with our three children and me for as long as possible.

During the last week of her life, Jennifer was no longer conscious. I was woken up by doctors in the middle of the night telling me that she had stopped breathing. I frequently rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night to say goodbye. Yet Jennifer continued to fight for her life, inspired by the hope of creating a life with her family in the United States. Although she could not respond, she would visibly smile at the sight of our children who visited her and tell her about the trips they would take once she was out of the hospital.

Jennifer remained in the hospital for an entire month before passing away the night of November 21st. One of her final wishes was to donate her organs to people in need. The doctors estimate that Jennifer's generosity has given more than 15 life-saving organ transplants to children and adults.

Beyond the emotional toll that her passing has created on our family, we have suffered from significant medical expenses from trying to keep Jennifer alive for as long as possible.

No family should have to choose between life and finances, but we did, and we chose life. I hope anyone reading this story sympathizes with the difficult choices we have been forced to make and will help us overcome the significant financial burden we have undertaken to give each of my three children, Sebastian, 17, Matthias, 13, and Santiago, 6, a mother for as long as possible.

My children and I are forever grateful for any support you are able to provide us in overcoming this hardship, and for the future you can help create for our family as it rebuilds itself after this tragedy.