On November 16, 2024, I was supposed to die.

Instead, I was reborn.

I never take my birthday off, but last year, I did. For weeks leading up to that day, I felt a kind of exhaustion I’d never known before. I chalked it up to working too hard — burning the candle at both ends. That night, I took an antibiotic that triggered a severe allergic reaction. My wife, Sandra, rushed me to the hospital — and that decision saved my life.

I remember the nurse shouting, “Why are you acting like that?!”

Then everything went black.

While unconscious, I was given additional antibiotics — the very kind I was allergic to. My kidneys began shutting down. I had MRSA, and my blood turned septic. I was given 48 hours to live.

A Father gave me my Last Sacraments, but I didn’t die.

Somehow, enough of the right medication got into my system, and I woke up. When doctors introduced blood thinners, I crashed again. It took 10 blood transfusions to keep me alive. I bled for seven straight hours — from every orifice. I vividly remember wanting to stop fighting. I could feel death in the room, waiting patiently. I almost gave in.

Then, a disease control doctor told me,

“You’re testing my knowledge. I’m going to experiment on you.”

After five different medication formulas, they found one that worked. Slowly, I began to recover. When I arrived, I weighed 200 lbs. By the time I could stand again, I was 145 lbs — skin and bone. I hadn’t seen my kids in over a month. My wife never left my side. She was my anchor, my reason, my strength. I owe her my life.

I went into the hospital on my birthday and came home before Christmas.

I was told I’d need dialysis and an oxygen tank for the rest of my life.

But today — I need neither and live with deep gratitude for every sunrise.

NOT TODAY, DEATH. NOT TODAY.

Why I’m Raising $5,000

Now that I’ve been given a second chance, I’m dedicating my life to helping others.

This first mission is for Miriam and Alfredo, a beautiful couple I work with who clean offices for a living. They’re hardworking parents of four — two of their children are autistic and require constant care and therapy. They live paycheck to paycheck, juggling opposite shifts so someone is always home with the kids.

Recently, their only family car broke down. Without it, their entire routine — work, school, therapy — is collapsing. I’ve loaned them my spare car, but that’s only a temporary fix.

I want to raise $5,000 to buy them a reliable used minivan.

It’s not charity — it’s community.

Because when you help a family breathe again, you change their world.

The Bigger Mission — Project 5K

I call this mission Project 5K: One Family at a Time.

My goal is simple:

Raise $5,000 at a time to help hardworking families facing crisis moments — car breakdowns, medical bills, rent shortages, or emergencies that could spiral their lives into chaos.

For families living paycheck to paycheck, $5,000 can mean survival.

This isn’t about grand gestures — it’s about micro-miracles.

Join Me

I was given a second life, and I’m using it to lift others.

Help me start by giving one family the chance to keep moving forward.

Every donation matters. Every share matters.

Let’s make my “Return Day” — November 16 — the first chapter of a legacy of hope.

“When death came for me, I told it to wait.

Now, I’m here to make sure others don’t have to face their battles alone.”

With gratitude,

Benito G. Bellot