Hi, my name is Thomas Catoliato (John's father) and I'm raising money for my son, John Catoliato. John was born with a congenital heart defect known as Truncus Arteriosus (one of the rarest), where he had one outflow from his ventricles instead of two, a hole in the wall of his heart between his right and left ventricles, and his pulmonary artery grew off his aortic outflow. John underwent open-heart surgery on day 5 of his life and again on day 6 as the first procedure did not produce an optimal outcome. He subsequently had 3 cardiac catheterization procedures in his first year of life. When he was 18 months old, he received a partial heart transplant. He most recently went back into the cardiac catheterization lab where he had 2 stents placed in his heart to help blood flow out to his lungs. He will require continued catheterization procedures and possibly open-heart surgeries throughout his life. He is the most amazing, strong, positive, jovial, silly, electric, heart warrior out there! What he has endured is something we both admire every day we have the pleasure of sharing with our "little man."

I am raising money to help John in every way possible. His journey is just beginning, and it's already been a life filled with more medical procedures, blood draws, IVs, sedations, "put downs," heart stops, open-heart surgeries, cardiac catheterizations, and more than you would wish on any young boy! Your kindness and empathy are extremely appreciated as I want nothing more than to give John the best and healthiest life he can have!