Help Eric Fight Valley Fever

Hi everyone,

We’re reaching out for support during an incredibly difficult time for our family. Our son, Eric, has been battling Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) for over four years. This aggressive fungal infection has once again turned our world upside down.

Just last week, Eric suffered his second pulmonary hemorrhage, leading to an emergency admission to Valley Children’s Hospital. Despite years of treatment, his condition has worsened. His doctors have resumed IV amphotericin B—one of the strongest antifungal medications, but also one of the most toxic.

Eric, keeping his sense of humor, calls it “Amphoterrible” because of its brutal side effects: severe nausea, kidney strain, electrolyte imbalances, and complete loss of appetite.

Due to the seriousness of his condition, Eric was transferred to UCLA Medical Center, over 3 hours from home, to begin immunotherapy—a hopeful but critical next step. Recent scans show numerous new cavitary lesions in his lungs, confirming disease progression.

To make things even harder, Eric will now spend his 20th birthday in the hospital—far from home, his siblings, his girlfriend, and the friends he misses dearly.

Why We Need Your Help

What began as an unplanned trip to the ER quickly escalated into a prolonged medical crisis.

Eric was originally expected to stay in the hospital for six weeks to receive IV antifungal treatment. However, due to complications and the need for immunotherapy, his stay has become open-ended, with no clear discharge date in sight.

Even once he’s discharged, Eric will need to return to UCLA three times a week for ongoing care—meaning hundreds of miles of travel, time off work, and continued expenses.

This journey has placed an overwhelming emotional and financial burden on our family. We are taking extended time off work to be with Eric, while also traveling back and forth to care for our other children. The costs of transportation, food, parking, lodging, and lost wages are building rapidly.

We’re doing everything we can—but we need help to keep going.

About Eric

Eric is a fighter. He was diagnosed with Valley Fever as a young teenager and has endured more than most adults face in a lifetime. Still, he remains positive. Until this most recent setback, Eric had been training for his first Jiu-Jitsu competition this October—and he dreams of getting back on the mat.

More than anything, he just wants to feel normal again.

For those unfamiliar, Valley Fever is a serious fungal infection caused by inhaling spores of Coccidioides, which live in soil across the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. While most people recover fully, in rare cases like Eric’s, the disease becomes chronic and life-threatening.

How You Can Help

We’re humbly asking for your support to help us:

Whether it’s a donation, a share, or a prayer, every act of kindness makes a difference.

From the bottom of our hearts,

Thank you for standing with Eric.

With deep gratitude,

—Eric’s Family