Family of 5-year-old Transplant Recipient asks People to have a Heart

Every parent worries about the health and safety of a child.  Experiencing a true life-or-death incident with a child though takes that parental concern and bond up a notch.  That occurred for me when my family discovered my daughter had a severe food allergy after she went into a condition called anaphylactic shock which sent us to emergency room as her face turned red with hives while her eyes and throat swelled shut.  Doctors told us if we had arrived at the hospital just a few minutes later brain damage could have occurred, her organs would have begun shutting down, and she could have even died.  Fortunately, everything turned out alright and she's doing just fine.  We've had to learn about this medical condition and have to take daily precautions to avoid a repeat of the incident but I have to say our situation pales in comparison to getting the news as a parent that your preschool aged child needs a heart transplant in order to survive.

That is the story of the Schultz family who found out that their son Ari would die without a heart transplant.  Ari stayed in-patient at Boston's Children Hospital for 211 days receiving care and waiting for news about whether he'd be able to get a transplant before it was too late.  Then one day the news came:



Ari recently received a new heart and now he's slowly recuperating in the hospital's ICU dealing with some rejection issues his body is having.  Unfortunately, while Ari's mom and dad have been focused on his care they didn't realize that water damage from a storm had caused their family home to become infested with mold.  A mutual friend relayed to me that the Schultz's homeowners insurance will only cover less than half the cost of making the house suitable for Ari to return home to.  To help cover some of the mounting expenses the Schultz are confronting, friends and family of Ari have set-up a Go Fund Me page asking people to show some heart and provide some support.

Making a donation of $10, $20 or more will help Ari get better and will make you feel good.  Every contribution adds up and even making a small donation can have a big impact in helping this family in need.   Have a heart and help Ari out!