We were in the car and I was pregnant, out of habit I looked back where the children were seated and suddenly I see that my daughter Maria was twisting and her eyes were turned and her speech was unintelligible. I told my husband, George that something was wrong with Maria. We pulled over on the side of the road, and got out of the car, we took her out and she was not able to bare any weight and was falling over. George drove us straight to the hospital. Thank God we were close to the hospital in Tarzana. I was in the car without my seat belt trying to hydrate her; I didn’t know what was happening to her. Thank God we finally arrived at the hospital. George took Maria into the hospital, and I don’t know how, but I parked the car and George met me outside of the emergency room so that I could go inside, and he stayed outside with our baby Christian. It was horrible, I thought my daughter was going to die or stay in a vegetative state. The nurses asked me to calm down; as the stress could harm the baby I was carrying. I repeated over and over, for them to save my daughter. In her state of confusion, she did not know who I was, she did not know her name or my name, and her eyes were confused and she looked at me like she did not know who I was. You can imagine how I felt, as my children are my life. Hours passed, and they conducted various brain scans. Her little head was covered in; I don’t know how many cables and other things. It was so sad and scary to see my little 6 year old girl in this situation, and being helpless, not able to do anything for her, just wait for the results. Thank God, as the hours passed, she gradually started recuperating, becoming more conscious. The doctors moved her arms and legs to insure that she had not lost any movement. I was greatly relieved when she was able to recognize me again. At that moment, my soul came back into my body, although I was still concerned. The results from the tests came out okay. We took her home, and my heart broke to see how delicate and fragile my daughter was.

She was ordered various tests. She had an EEG that showed irregularities and the doctors said that they could not give us a diagnosis, but that this may occur again tomorrow, in a month, a year or never again. In few words, I have not slept. My heart carries this worry, of course hoping that someday everything will be okay and I can be less worried. We then had an appointment at Children’s Hospital for an MRI. I prayed to God that this exam would come out okay, that there wouldn’t be a tumor or something bad. I saw sick children with cancer with hair that couldn’t grow, children with muscular atrophy, and other rare illnesses, no one could imagine that exist. Marias heart was so concerned about these children; she asked me 10 million questions, at the same time I asked God over and over to protect us, help my kids be safe and healthy, so they don’t have to go through such pain. I went in with her for her MRI; it was nerve racking trying to keep her still, as she asked for no anesthesia. I told her not to worry, and to just do what the doctors tell her. The appointment took about 2 hours, and later was the anxiety of waiting for the results. I could not sleep, I went to church every day, lighting candles for Jesus Christ & the Virgin Mary. I called the hospital daily inquiring about the results. Finally, my husband got a call and he called me immediately to tell me that everything was good. Maria didn’t have anything, at that moment I cried from happiness and gave God so much gratitude that my little girl was okay, but my heart is still not at peace until more time passes and she does not have another seizure.

Months later, my daughter out of the blue says to me that she wants to cut her hair and donate it to children with cancer. I told her okay, knowing how much she loves her long hair. She is a girly girl, and loves fixing and styling her hair. I told her that there were other ways we could help the children, without having to cut her hair. She suddenly says that we could have an event to raise money. She said, mom you have so many good ideas. I promised her that I would do this and today, I am organizing an event. I know my daughter is someone who likes to help and for such a tiny girl she has a big heart. With that big heart, we made an organization called MARIA’S ANGELS with her name and the main interest of all this is to help the children that need it. I experienced something that has marked me for all of my life. I know what that moment feels like, and I know the pain that each mother is experiencing with their children. I want my daughter to follow this organization through her adult life, since this is something that has come from her at such a young age for the children.