Let's Bring Kelly Arcillas Home

On behalf of the Arcillas family, we are asking for donations to help bring Kelly Arcillas, a 12th grade student at Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, New York, safely home.  Until the summer of 2019, Kelly was a healthy teenager.  A typical 16-year-old, Kelly loved drawing, watching anime, and time spent with friends and family. However, the course of her life was forever altered when Kelly received a viral meningitis diagnosis which led to autoimmune meningoencephalitis, a condition involving inflammation or infection of the brain tissue. She fell into a comatose state for almost two months and experienced a prolonged loss of consciousness leaving her unresponsive for an extended period of time. Kelly miraculously regained her cognitive functions and was transferred to St. Mary’s Hospital in Bayside, Queens for continued medical care and rehabilitation.  

Presented with new physical obstacles, Kelly continues to fight.  Currently, she is paralyzed from the navel to her toes, tracheostomy and ventilator dependent, and has neurogenetic bladder and bowels, as well as visual deficits. She now relies on a gastronomy tube for all nutrition. Kelly was admitted to the hospital in September of 2019 and never left. Due to visitation restrictions associated with Covid-19, the last time she’s seen, hugged, and bonded with her younger sisters was in February of 2020.  The family has been struggling with this unfortunate separation on top of the traumatic experience of Kelly’s sudden onset illness and disabilities. On June 3, 2021, Kelly celebrated her 18th birthday and told us her wish: She dreams of going home.  

For Kelly to come home, the Arcillas family needs to make specific changes to their living situation. Requirements include wheelchair and vital equipment accessibility, a straight ramp, door reconstruction, a bathtub chair, and hoyer lift.  This is where we come in! Any contribution, big or small, will assist in the house renovations and ultimately, the reunion of this beautiful, deserving family. 

This school year we were given the profound privilege of teaching Kelly Arcillas. As we  struggled to find some hope these past few months, Kelly never let the circumstances dim her kind light. She consistently infuses each class with positivity and her resilience inspires every person lucky enough to cross her path. During our first lesson, we discussed the history of our names.  Kelly, while laying in her hospital bed, confidently spoke into her Ipad mic, “You know what I found out?  Kelly means warrior.” There is actually no better word to describe our Kelly. 


Please consider donating to Kelly’s worthy cause.  If you are a licensed engineer, architect, contractor, plumber, electrician, etc and can donate your time or donate materials please let us know.

Together, we can bring her home.