Support Giovanni Castelan's Road to Recovery

On February 25, 2025, Giovanni Castelan, a student at Austin High School, was hospitalized due to complications from a severe sinus infection. What began as a common illness quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency. After undergoing a procedure to drain the infection, Giovanni’s condition worsened. He suffered seizures from a dangerously high fever, and he required an additional procedure to cauterize blood vessels in his sinuses to control bleeding.

After a series of tests, Giovanni’s medical team delivered devastating news: he was diagnosed with Pneumococcal Meningitis, the same rare and deadly illness that took the life of his younger sister Yarel just two years ago in 2022. The family was facing the unimaginable again, braving this heartbreaking diagnosis in less than three years.

Giovanni’s mother, Clara Martinez Hernandez, was by his side throughout it all, fighting for his care and advocating for him with the dedication only a mother can have. She was forced to choose between being at the hospital with Giovanni and her job as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Her unwavering presence was essential. Clara’s persistence and motherly instincts also helped detect a mild stroke before any severe damage occurred when she noticed weakness on Giovanni’s left side.

After nearly a month in the hospital, Giovanni was discharged on March 20, 2025. While his recovery is promising, it will be a long road. He is now facing extensive physical therapy to regain strength and mobility after his stroke, and he will be on a strict regimen of medications for the next six months.

During this incredibly challenging time, we are reaching out to ask for support from the community to help this hardworking family cover the expenses they face. Clara’s absence from work has led to lost wages, and they are incurring additional costs for gas to travel to medical appointments and for medical bills that are mounting. Any contribution, big or small, will go directly to Giovanni and his family.

Thank you for your generosity and support.