Hi! We are Rod and Judy Cuellar.

Rod is disabled due to a long-term heart condition. He first got sick in 2004, the year our eldest son was born. Over the years, other medical conditions, including two heart attacks, have caused significant declines. Through all of this, he has been Mr. Mom-the stay at home parent, taking care of our two boys and home schooling them.

We moved to Kerrville (TX) eight months ago to be closer to family and had to hospitalize Rod within a week of the move. A few months later he was in the hospital again for pneumonia.  And just recently, he was back in the hospital with Covid related pneumonia. I managed to stay out of the hospital with my bout with Covid, but both of us have experienced a very slow and difficult recovery.

When we bought our house we did not realize that Rod would be using a scooter or walker long-term. The house needs some modifications to make it more handicapped accessible. Rod has yet to "set foot" in the backyard or even the garage, because the house was not designed to accommodate the needs of a disabled person. Our gravel side entry to the house presents several challenges when we need to get Rod in the car. Loose gravel doesn't provide sure footing for someone with balance issues. And in wet weather, safety is a concern getting the car in and out this steep driveway, since the driveway was designed for a golf car. The loose gravel requires constant maintenance, raking it back into place and filling the holes created when the tires lose traction and create "potholes".

We explored placing a lift in the garage (the garage is the lower level of the house), but the cost is in the tens of thousands and our contractor believes we wouldn't be able to get the permits without "re-engineering" the house.

So the most cost effective option we have found is to pour a concrete driveway and sidewalk on the side of the house and adding ramps to the entry/exit ways to the house.  A smooth surface will be so much safer for Rod, plus easier on the scooter, which is currently taking a beating bumping around on all these loose rocks.

Being able to access our backyard and enjoy sunshine and the outdoors with his boys, what a joy and good medicine that would be. Photography has been his passion since he was a kid, but its difficult to find inspiration when you can only shoot through a window. We have a perfect spot in our backyard, for a "butterfly garden", a place to enjoy photographing nature. Ramps would make this possible for Rod. And if you know him, you know how much it would enrich his life, excellent therapy for his mind and body.

Rod is too young to be living like a shut-in. 

After some of you expressed interest in helping us financially with these upgrades, we decided to try a gofundme  "campaign".
Would you consider giving to help us make things safe for Rod ? The fundraising goal reflects the cost of making these modifications to our house.  Any funds raised greater than those costs will go towards the mounting medical bills.

We appreciate your help, but covet above all things your prayers for healing. This has been a very trying year, health-wise, and we know that our family of faith has sustained us through their prayers.