Hey guys — my dad, Rey Diogo, is being evaluated for a heart transplant. I’m asking our jiu jitsu family to come together for him.

Most of you know him as Professor. A Carlson Gracie black belt who spent his life on the mats and committed to helping others.

Since his heart attack, his heart failure has gotten much worse. His ejection fraction is down to 15%. He’s out of breath after walking a few steps.

He can’t teach anymore. He closed the gym, but not before making sure every student had somewhere to go — he moved everyone over to Oceangrown BJJ.

Now he’s lost the gym, his income, and his health all at once, and it’s been brutal on him mentally and physically as much as financially. He’s facing months off his feet before and after a transplant, with rent, insurance and medical costs that don’t stop.

We’re doing everything we can to make sure he gets the care he needs. We can’t cover this alone.

If you can give, it goes to keeping him housed and insured while he waits for a heart, and through the recovery after. If you can’t give, please share this — one repost in the right group matters more than you’d think.

Thank you for all the messages, prayers and love so far. You are all his family.

— Raphael