It's never easy to ask for help, but I'm reaching out on behalf of the Perez family. Their son Tommy is 9 years old. To know Tommy is to love him. His huge smile and sparkling big brown eyes can turn anyone's day around. Many of you don’t know that Tommy has suffered serious, life threatening health issues since he was born. Tommy has been attached to feeding sources, nutrient lines and lots of daily medicine to keep his body functioning. He has only got to be off these lines for 4 hours a day, the past nine years. The medicine he has been on is strong, and while it is good for his intestines, it completely destroyed his liver, which is why he needed a small bowel and liver.

The past nine years, Tommy’s parents have sacrificed so much. The amount of doctors appointments and nights in the hospital are too much to count. If you were to ask them how Tommy has been doing, they would smile with so much pride, and brag about how strong their boy is.

On Wednesday, November 24, 2021, Tommy's family received the call to get to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania ASAP. They had a donor lined up and he needed to be there as soon as he could. So that night, the night before Thanksgiving, the Perez family loaded up the car and made the trip from Xenia, Ohio to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After they got to PA, and the surgeons were able to get a look inside him, they decided he needed a stomach, liver, small bowel, and pancreas transplant. This was a shock, but a blessing that it was his time to get the call. The surgery has been completed, but there will be lots of tests and monitoring before it's declared to be successful. With such a serious transplant, Tommy will have to be monitored in Pittsburgh for at least a year. This is a miracle that so many have prayed for. It is also something that you can not prepare for. Tommy's mom, Tiffani, is with him in Pittsburgh right now, and Dad is back home taking care of the three younger children. As you can imagine, this is extremely hard for every family member. Three small children have temporarily lost their mom, as she’s away caring for their big brother. Dad has taken on all the responsibility and is trying to figure out how to balance everything back home, while trying to figure out the next steps that need to be taken for their family. Sweet momma is alone, with no one to support her while she’s doing the best she can to support Tommy in every way possible. As a parent, watching your child in pain is emotional torment.

And most importantly, as you can imagine this is extremely hard for Tommy. This whole process is something that a nine year old should never endure. Physically and mentally, he has to be one of the strongest kids in the world.

We are raising money to help support the family over the next year of Tommy's healing. There will be multiple trips to and from Pittsburgh. Expenses add up quickly, and unfortunately medical bills and finances don’t stop.