A Southern California family is hoping to finally bring their baby home after a long journey of frightening health battles.
At just 21 months old, Frankie Corona has already endured five surgeries and six cardiac arrests.
Corona was born three months premature and weighed only one pound and 12 ounces. He was diagnosed with Chronic Respiratory Failure with Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and his lungs were not fully developed.
Corona has never known life outside of the hospital or an existence without tubes extending from his body.
“He’s had about six cardiac events,” said his mother, Leslie Castaneda. “Now [the tubes] are just in place in case they have to give him life-saving medication.”
Throughout the boy’s hospitalization, his parents have driven from their Norwalk home to an Orange County hospital every day to be by his side.
He still depends on a ventilator and suffers from chronic lung issues, his parents said.
After an uphill battle, Corona has defied the odds and is well enough to be sent to an acute care facility where he can grow stronger and eventually be transferred home for the first time.
The boy’s parents are desperate to unite their family and are hoping Corona can finally join his baby brother in Norwalk.
“It’s been so difficult having our other son at home,” Castaneda said tearfully. “He hasn’t been able to be with us.”
So far, their medical bills have been covered by state and local services, but bringing the boy home would require special medical care and additional expenses.
“It’s about doing all the things he needs, learning all his cares, to be able to take him home, really becoming familiar with everything medically that he could possibly need,” Castaneda said. “If I could take away any pain — he’s been poked and prodded his whole life — I would.”
The family is hoping to raise funds for Corona’s care through a GoFundMe page.
The money would be used to help transfer the boy home and set up accommodations for at-home care. It would also cover medical supplies, oxygen equipment and any respiratory or rehabilitation devices he may need.
Over the weekend, Corona’s left lung suddenly collapsed and he suffered two additional cardiac events back-to-back. His parents remain by his side and are hopeful he will finally be able to live his life outside hospital walls.
“We want to finally bring our baby boy home,” Castaneda said. “We want both our boys to be together. We want our family together.”
The family’s GoFundMe campaign can be found here.