MCALLEN, Texas – A 14-year-old Rio Grande Valley student got the support of the governor himself when he made a desperate plea to help his mother, who is fighting for her life after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in late December.
Erika Calderon, 48, tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 29 and was hospitalized on Jan. 4, 2021.
Calderon, a single mother to son Emilian Sosa, needs extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO therapy, which relieves the stress of the lungs and heart. However, the treatment isn’t currently available in the Rio Grande Valley.
Emilian quickly acted after learning his mother could be taken off life support, so he wrote a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott.
The letter went viral on social media. It in part, “On February 3rd. I will be turning fifteen. The best gift that I could receive would be the news that you are providing my mother with the opportunity to receive the ECMO therapy. I beg of you to please make this a reality and help me bring my mother back home.”
Abbott responded on social media with the following tweet:
I just spoke with Emilian Sosa about his mom.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 27, 2021
We are helping his mom right now.
With the help of Nim Kidd, the Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management & Dr. Zerwas, the equipment his mother needs was located.
She should be in good medical care. @TDEM https://t.co/dzgRby52ms
Doctors are waiting for Calderon’s status to stabilize before transferring her to a Houston hospital.
Read Emilian Sosa’s letter below:
This letter was written by a student at Rowe HS. He is an only child. I hope that someone out there can please help this 14 year old boy and his precious mother. Please stay safe and may God bless you always! RT! @GregAbbott_TX pic.twitter.com/s0ImVB9EjX
— Selena Regalado (@selenaagifted) January 27, 2021