Texas household donates late son’s medical tools to Chicago households going through comparable challenges

A household that spent tens of 1000’s of {dollars} of medical tools all through their son’s lifetime donated all of it to individuals in want – households who knew all too nicely what it’s like being within the Pantoja household’s footwear. 

In Could 2021, Itza Pantoja and her husband, Adrian, packed up a U-Haul with the tools that was used to enhance their son Dylan’s high quality of life earlier than he handed away in 2019 at 16 years previous. 

Itza Pantoja, her husband, Adrian, and their son Adrik alongside Dylan.  (Itza Pantoja)

They drove it from their dwelling in San Antonio, Texas, to Chicago and hand-delivered all of it to a company referred to as ASI, which gives dwelling care companies to post-acute sufferers, senior residents and individuals with disabilities all through the Windy Metropolis, in response to its web site.

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“Dylan would have cherished for another person to get it,” Pantoja informed Fox Information. 

When he was born, Dylan was identified with average hydrocephalus, which is a build-up of fluid within the mind, in addition to a coronary heart situation referred to as pulmonary valve stenosis, Pantoja stated. On the time, she had been learning to change into a nurse however halted these plans with a view to focus all her consideration on Dylan. 

Then, at 15 months previous, Pantoja stated her son misplaced all of his features after affected by a pulmonary cardio arrest. All through his life, he relied on a plethora of medical tools together with seven wheelchairs, an oxygen machine and a standing body. The body alone, Pantoja recalled, price about $47,000. 

Pantoja stated the household needed to pay out of pocket for a majority of the tools. 

Itza Pantoja’s sons, Adrik and Dylan.  (Itza Pantoja)

So, with a view to cowl a number of the price, Pantoja began promoting baked items to households on the hospital. Pantoja’s efforts started whereas they had been residing in Puerto Rico and continued once they moved to Texas in 2013. 

“I additionally tutored children in English or, , babysat children whereas their mother and father had been out simply in order that we are able to make ends meet,” she stated. 

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After Dylan handed away, Pantoja donated a number of the tools to households within the space. The remainder was packed right into a storage, which was so full you could not even open the door with out one thing falling out, Pantoja stated.  

“However then the pandemic hit and no person wished to take something,” she stated. “And I used to be like, ‘What do I do with all this?’ You understand, I did not need to throw it away as a result of that is like throwing away 1000’s and 1000’s” of {dollars}. 

Pantoja stated the household finally bought in touch with ASI, which stated it could gladly take the provides and that it had a handful of households who may enormously profit. 

Even earlier than they even began their journey to Chicago on Could 25, Pantoja stated there have been about 5 households awaiting their arrival. 

The day provoked a ton of blended feelings, Pantoja stated. 

Though it was a satisfying second as a result of they knew the provides weren’t going to waste, Pantoja defined that it was onerous as a result of it was her son’s tools — tools they’d “suffered to get in order that he may have [a better] high quality of life.” 

What’s extra, Pantoja stated she felt as if she relived her complete life with Dylan when she drove as much as Chicago and met the Aguila household, whose son, Felipe, had comparable medical circumstances as Dylan. 

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Pantoja and Felipe’s mother, who now share a deep connection, embraced one another and not using a second’s thought. 

“We hugged. We cried. We simply could not discover phrases,” Pantoja stated. “However after we checked out one another, we understood one another.” 

To this present day the households keep in touch. 

“Typically she simply must blow off some steam,” Pantoja stated. “Yeah, I keep in mind these days.”

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