On Friday, June 27th, our mom and grandma, Linda, underwent open-heart surgery to replace her mitral valve and repair her tricuspid valve. She went into surgery early that morning, and by early afternoon, we were told she was in recovery. But just an hour later, we received a call that would change everything—they needed to reopen her chest due to irregular fluttering the surgeon didn’t like.

Throughout the day, we received updates every two hours that everything was stable—until it wasn’t.

Later that afternoon, we got a call from the surgeon explaining that Grandma’s heart had begun tearing around the new mitral valve, both at the top and the bottom. This was caused by significant leaking from her aortic valve. We were told she was in critical condition and very sick. Her surgical team had to stop her heart three separate times to make emergency repairs. They were finally able to stabilize her, but she had suffered a rare and life-threatening complication known as AV groove disruption.

Her chest was left open, and she was placed on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), a machine that circulates blood for the heart so it can rest. For the next two days, we were able to see her, though she remained under anesthesia and unconscious.

Yesterday, she underwent an echocardiogram to check her aortic valve. Thankfully, the leak is now considered mild to moderate—something many people live with for decades. She also has a small hole between two chambers of her heart, which doctors say she can live with as well. If all continues to improve, they hope to close her chest soon, gradually reduce the ECMO support, and then wake her up.

Our mom and grandma is truly one-of-a-kind. She lived a healthy lifestyle, worked a full-time job, exercised regularly, and was completely independent—even up to the day of surgery. Her strength and determination have amazed not only us but also the entire medical team.

She has always managed a very limited budget with discipline and grace. But the unexpected complications and extended care will bring about significant medical bills, along with other costs like groceries, gas, and daily living essentials.

As her son and grandson, we are setting up this GoFundMe on her behalf, reaching out for support from anyone who’s able to help. Your donation—no matter the size—will directly support her recovery and ease the financial burden during this incredibly difficult time.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your prayers, support, and generosity.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

— Matthew 18:20