On February 22, 2023, Emilio’s world was turned upside down when he received the devastating news that his daughter, Eva, was diagnosed with leukemia. Filled with fear and uncertainty, Eva was transferred to UNC Hospital where her family was told that she was considered a high-risk patient and her first year of chemotherapy would likely be more intense than most.
Their hardships continued the next day when Eva’s already fragile health took a drastic turn after her first chemotherapy dose. Her kidneys failed and she was whisked away to the intensive care unit where she was hooked up to a dialysis machine and placed in a medically induced coma.
Tired and exhausted, Emilio began reflecting on his time in the Army. “See, as the result of 24 years in the Army as a Green Beret, I was trained to perform [with] lack of sleep in bad situations,” Emilio explained. “But let me tell you, nothing prepared me for this. I was in the worst place, and I was falling apart.”
Amidst this heartache, a beacon of hope emerged when Emilio received word of an available room at Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. “[My wife] and I made the promise to Eva that she was never going to be alone in the hospital, not even for a minute,” Emilio shared. “Getting the room made it possible.”
Stepping into Ronald McDonald House, Emilio was overwhelmed not only by the amenities it offered but also the profound sense of community and support that welcomed his family. In Emilio’s words, “Not only did I see hope, but I felt it.”
But Eva and her family still had a long road ahead of them. Four months after starting chemotherapy, Eva’s organs had become too damaged to continue the current course of treatment. Desperate for alternatives, Emilio stumbled upon a new form of immunotherapy known as CAR T or CAR T-cell, which held the promise of hope for Eva. Thankfully, there was a doctor at UNC Hospital trained in the treatment.
Eva’s family spent seven months at Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill while she underwent treatment. “Saying RMH became a home away from home would be an understatement,” Emilio said. “They gave us a lot more than just a home.” Emilio shared that he felt as though the generosity, selflessness, kindness, and sense of community within the walls of the Ronald McDonald House made him a better father and husband.
Then, in October 2023, came the moment Emilio and his family had been hoping for: Eva’s modified T Cells were infused back into her bloodstream and began fighting the cancer cells. On February 19, 2024, Eva is set to ring the bell signifying the end of treatment one full year ahead of schedule.
“My wife, her older sister, and I will be grateful for the rest of our lives,” Emilio said. “As for me, I will dedicate the rest of mine to looking after her.”
