Please help Julio navigate his new lifestyle

Greetings, Friends

Allow me to introduce you to my husband, Julio. At 39 years old, Julio is a loving husband, father to one daughter, five step children, and grandfather to five. One child and one grandchild are living in the home with us. Julio has always been an active and outdoorsy person having run a Los Angeles marathon, gone on daily hikes, and riding local bike trails. He has always been a hard worker and has never missed a day of work except in cases where he physically couldn’t be there.

Unfortunately, all that changed in July of 2023 when Julio started seeing specialists to learn why he was losing his balance, having trouble concentrating, and developing pain across his shoulders. In November of 2023, Julio learned that he had a massive intramedullary intradural spinal cord tumor. Basically, the tumor was right where his spinal cord connects to his brain. During the ten hours of surgery to remove the tumor, it was discovered by the doctors that the tumor had been developing for eight years.

Julio beat the cancer, but he is now paralyzed from the waist down. He is having difficulty adjusting to this new lifestyle, not just because he is learning to navigate a wheelchair, but he also has to learn to navigate his home after rearranging his environment to accommodate his mobility. He is also adjusting to fostering his young grandson and the challenges that come with that.

Julio is a kind person who is readily willing to help others when the need arises. In a twist of fate, it is now Julio who needs help. He really needs a van to get to and from his appointments that can also accommodate his wheelchair. Medical bills are starting to arrive, and though he has insurance, the debt is growing. He will have more expenses coming with the additional aftercare that he will soon require.

Our family would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all those who read about Julio and our fundraiser. We believe in the power of prayer and positive thinking as well as in the kindness of others. To each person reading this, thank you. May you be blessed and kept well.