Support Erasto Avalos Perez's Recovery Journey

“My Dad supports us on his back.” When I was a young girl this thought would consume me as I tried to think about the life my dad had provided at a steep cost to himself. My father has worked in construction for over 25 years. He is the most hardworking man I have ever met and has always been a frenzy of activity with an inability to rest. My Dad lived and breathed his job. His blood and sweat turned into food, a home and the toys my brother and I craved. I felt guilty even as a child that my father’s job was so hard. I feel so immensely grateful for everything he has provided our family. He is a giver; he gives his time and money to his family. I saw firsthand the effect hard labor had on my father’s body. He was in pain frequently as age caught up to his body. It feels so cruel that the back that supported our family is the part of my father that is broken.

On September 3rd my father took a nasty fall. He was sent to the hospital in a helicopter as his injuries were so severe. His spine broke in half and many ribs were fractured. His spinal cord was injured and he has been paralyzed. Three days after the accident my father was taken into surgery and was in the trauma ICU for seven days. He has been at UT Medical Center in Knoxville for 13 days and will be going to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for five weeks of rehab. The cost of the center alone will be roughly $130,000 dollars. The cost of medical care, rehabilitation and mobility aids exceeds our family’s means which brings us here.

My father gave and gave and never expected thanks or gratitude. He has almost superhuman levels of forgiveness. My father left home when he was fifteen in search of work and to make a life for himself. I have always been astounded by his courage and fortitude, he never gave up; he didn’t know how to. He persevered in the face of tragedy and hardship. I love talking about how amazing my father is, I never thought that it would be in this context.

We are a proud family but we recognize when help is needed. Your support of donations for my father’s medical expenses and prayers for our family would be greatly appreciated and cherished.

Thank You,

Jovana Avalos