Help save Gabe's life

Before he was born, Gabriel was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. After much deliberation, his mom decided the best plan for him to have a healthy life was to get a heart transplant when he was born.

At just 13 days of life, Gabe was blessed with the gift of a heart. His new heart has provided his family immense love and joy in watching him grow. In his 15 years, he’s shown an enduring love for sharks, his sister, his pets and his family. If you have had the chance to meet him, you will know the love and spark he brings to the world.

Unfortunately, Gabe is now in transplant-related heart failure. This is not uncommon for heart transplant recipients, but even though they always knew it was a possibility, it’s never something one can prepare for. Since he was diagnosed in August, Gabe and his family have spent over 25 days in the hospital or doctor appointments to get him prepared to be listed for a new heart.

Because our systems are flawed, at best, Gabe’s mom, Lisa, is in the regrettable position of needing to maintain a full-time job to provide for her family. As a single parent, Lisa is tasked with working and caring for both her children and everything that comes with being a parent of a sick kiddo.

Lisa is a fierce advocate for Gabe and ensures he is involved with each step of the process. This has necessitated some challenging discussions as she ensures he understands and provides direction on his healthcare.

The Vallejos' are a strong family.

And…they can’t do this alone.

In the time before Gabe gets a new heart and his recovery time after, they will need help. FMLA only offers 12 weeks of unpaid leave which means that unless they can get some help, Lisa will have to work when her son is in ICU and recovering.

We believe this is inhumane and cruel, which is why we are asking for your help.

We want to gather enough funds to ensure the Vallejos family can navigate this challenging time with as few other fears and burdens as possible.

Here’s where you come in. We ask that everyone who sees this donates, no matter how small. You might think that $5 or $10 won’t matter much, but if 100 people did the same, that makes a huge impact.

We believe a community of people locking arms and working together for a common goal is one of the most effective forms of power and that working together will make a huge difference. We ask you to donate and then share with a request for others to do the same.

We want to call upon our community to join and back the Vallejos family and share this with your connections and get them to help. The Vallejos family pledges to honor your donation by using the support wisely.

Please help us get them the relief they need to navigate this critical time.