Dear Friends,

As many of you know, I live in Mexico, with my beloved partner, Emilio Sorondo. We have been together for over 30 years. If you know Emilio and me, you understand the rich history we share. We are both in our 70s now and living in San Miguel de Allende which has allowed us to live comfortably, despite our financial constraints due to Covid, business losses and lay-off's, in a vibrant and warm community.

Last Tuesday, January 14th, our lives took an unexpected turn when Emilio suddenly fell gravely ill at home. Thanks to nearby friends, we rushed him to the hospital, where we learned he had suffered a major heart attack. After hours of waiting, the doctors informed me that Emilio needed urgent, life-saving surgery. During their examination, they discovered he had an ultra-rare condition—an extra artery—which required them to take additional costly steps and extraordinary safety measures to perform the procedure successfully. As a legal resident in Mexico, Emilio’s U.S. Medicare couldn’t cover the expenses. Faced with a split-second decision, I agreed to cover the extensive costs. The amount far exceeds our meager savings, but I had no choice but to take a leap of faith.

Thankfully, the surgery was successful, however, the hospital administrators would not release him until the bill was paid in full. With no other options, I drained our savings, and maxed out all my credit cards. His surgery pretty much wiped us out.

Now, Emilio is back at our modest apartment beginning what may be a lengthy recovery. And then, out of nowhere, this last Thursday morning, I awoke to find a golf-ball size lump on my arm that doctors are now telling me might be a non-malignant tumor. When it rains it pours

Unfortunately, Emilio and I are now facing a mountain of debt that we cannot possibly manage on our income. Even the minimum payments on my credit cards are far beyond what we can afford.

Overwhelmed by this financial burden, a dear friend suggested something I’ve never done before – ask for help. If you know me, you know that this isn’t easy for me. But here I go anyway: If you feel moved to support us, please share whatever you can. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference and help us navigate this challenging time.

From the depths of our hearts, Emilio and I are profoundly grateful for your kindness and generosity.

With love and gratitude,