Our Boy Tibi

Hi everybody. My name is Eryn Pinkerton (also known as Ms. Nichols to my ex-students). There is a special six year old boy I had the pleasure of teaching a few years back named Edward Aguero, who goes by “Tibi”. His incredibly inspirational, gut-wrenching, and impactful story started the day he was born.

Tibi was diagnosed with H-type tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). TEF is a rare congenital condition where the esophagus and trachea have an abnormal connection, allowing food and liquid to enter the airway instead of the stomach. His parents, Bianca and Eddie, have taken each of Tibi’s trails with grace, giving all the glory to God, also while managing their two other sweet children, Aaliyah and Samuel. Tibi’s diagnosis has never once defined him, neither he or his mom would ever allow that! Regardless of TEF making it extremely difficult to have a voice or eat food, Bianca makes sure Tibi makes it to all the neat therapies that have provided a way for him to learn to speak some, along with ASL and communication devices, as well as starting to eat some food as of here recently.

Currently though, Tibi is in Cook Children’s Medical Center due to a recent incident of a routine-trach-change gone bad caused by a blockage in his airway. Once Tibi had been in Cook’s for a few days, the doctors had to put him in a medically induced paralytic/sedated state in order to do a tracheotomy replacement, prayerfully getting him back to his normal, playful, and silly self. He is still being kept in this state to allow healing time. They are hopeful he will wake up in the same spirit he was in before this hospitalization.

Bianca and Eddie are the type of people to take these life threatening moments with stride, allowing little to no hiccups in their two other children’s lives. (I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone else that is capable of doing this with such grace.) As long as I have known Bianca and Eddie, they have never asked for help, nor have they sulked and felt sorry for themselves. They continue showing up for each other, Aaliyah and Samuel, and for our boy Tibi. This explains why Tibi is the way that he is! Tibi is playful, even when he’s sick. Tibi has the biggest smile on his face, even when he’s in physical pain. Tibi doesn’t stop proving everybody wrong, even when things haven’t looked optimistic for him.

Tibi has a long road of recovery, as well as his family needing to travel 250+ miles to and from Cook’s to make sure he gets all that he needs, while caring for their other children, and not to mention their jobs. If you have any bit in you to give, every dollar helps. I asked permission before starting this; Bianca and Eddie being somewhat reluctant because they have always made it work without asking for help. They’re truly an inspirational family. If you can’t give anything monetary, prayers and kind words won’t be refused! Our boy Tibi is the strongest boy I know, and an angel on earth. His story has so much more to teach, give, and tell.

I have linked a cashapp that Bianca has set aside just for Tibi’s medical expenses, as well as travel and food. Thank you all.

Tibis CashApp

https://cash.app/$TibiAguero