In 2006, my dad had his first heart attack at the age of 36 while on duty as an Undercover Police Detective. Since that day, my family and I have learned the true test of heart disease and heart failure; following 19 heart attacks, one occipital stroke that took half of his vision, two implantable defibrillators/pacemakers, 22 shocks from the defibrillators, and multiple surgeries to buy us more time to find a solution for his steadily weakening heart. My dad has always stayed active and has come back from every set back that his heart challenges him with, and now its my turn to return a kindness and help him get a new heart to make him stronger. For my little brother, Lukas who is 12 years old; for myself, Nicole to see my father around long enough to have grandchildren, for our family to share life and laughter with; and for his friends, who he would lay his own life down for. My dad joined the Air Force right out of high school in 1988; leaving behind his small town in New Mexico to see the world and make a difference. to the Pacific including Japan, Korea, Guam and Hawaii. When he was honorably discharged in 1992, he moved to Dallas, TX and soon became a cross trained Firefighter/Police Officer/EMT for The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Department of Public Safety and served for 5 years; where his civil service began. After being paralyzed from the waist down in 1996 and having to learn how to walk again following a major accident at the airport, my father joined the Plano Police Department in 1998 to continue to serve his community. At Plano PD, he served for 19 years, 17 of those as a Narcotics Detective. He has spent his life dedicated to protecting and serving those around him. He has been nominated as Officer of the Year and received countless Commendations and Chiefs Unit awards. My dad has been there for his fellow officers and those in need. I believe it is his turn to receive a gift that he desperately needs. If he hasn't earned this heart, I don't know who would deserve it. Like many other out there, my dad lives on his disability insurance from his work as a Police Officer. That income can barely sustain his medical bills from ongoing heart failure. Now that we have received the diagnosis and he's now waiting on getting on the transplant list for a heart, we must find other means of paying for his heart failure IV medication along with his other medication, co-pays, deductible not covered by insurance for the the heart transplant specialist visits, post-transplant costs that include anti-rejection drugs that he will need to take for the rest of his life. This medication is estimated to cost at least $5000/month. Your donation can help ease the huge financial burden of the costs to get the heart transplant and to make a life worth living for my Dad in a world where he can receive a heart. He will then be able to focus on his strength and recovery post-transplant for my little brother and our family for a long life ahead. Family and friends of Kevin Lopez are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with transplantation. Kevin has chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button. For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399. Thank you for your support!
