Mending Matthew

My name is Liz. I am a student of Sensei Vincent Ruales of the Team Ghost Carlson Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy. About a week and a half ago, Vincent's 13 year old son, Matthew, was running in P.E. when suddenly he broke his femur. He was rushed to the hospital by his mom and an ambulance and was immediately sent to surgery. Matthew now has a permanent plate with 15 screws on his bone, thankfully,  he is recovering well, according to the doctors. 

Matthew has a strong heart and will, he is determined to recovery faster than the doctors say he will. He's in the cross country team, enjoys P.E, and is an orange belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He works hard and supports his teammates. He is also, if you have ever met him you'll know, the calmest teenager with a mature attitude and demeanor. 

When I found out what happened to Matthew, I was driving and I  changed direction to go see Lorena, Matthew's mom, while he was in surgery. She, as any mother, had the face of someone who is scared of the unknown, worried, and saddened that her little boy was undergoing such a serious and invasive surgery. I consoled her as much as possible but quite frankly felt useless, there's nothing I can do for Matthew or his family at this point. 

Everyday, I visited the hospital to check on Matthew and his parents. I can picture myself in their shoes as they watch their youngest son in immense pain. A nurse mentioned that she was impressed by Matthew's mental fortitude and pain threshold because other patients would be screaming in agony but Matthew kept his composure and would quietly mention he was feeling discomfort. 

I decided after seeing how strong this 13 year old boy is, I will find a way to contribute and support. I created this fundraiser to help cover his hospital bills, wheel chair, crutches, etc. As stressful as having a loved one in the hospital is, afterwards the stress continues with the cost of that stay. I would like to take one thing out of Vincent and Lorena's plate. 

Personally, I owe the Ruales family a lot. I have been doing Jiu Jitsu for years now, on and off, never fully committing to it consecutively but I have always retained the passion for it. I stopped practicing for a year and was timid to start up again. Vincent invited me over to his academy and told me there is nothing to worry about we are all family here. I came back a blue belt that has not trained for over a year and started reestablishing my skills of the fundamentals. Now, one year later, I am deep into my passion, helping out with the kid's class when I can, and continuing my martial arts journey. This is all thanks to the Ruales family and their kindness. 

Please contribute whatever is feasible for you. If you cannot contribute that is more than okay! I only request you share this story so that other's may be aware of this strong-willed boy and his positive attitude to move forward. He's not letting some thing like breaking his bone keep his spirit down. 5 days after his surgery, Matthew begged his parents to return to school because he did not want to be behind on his studies; so he went back to school on his crutches like a champion.  His story is truly inspirational.