Guadalupe “Lupita” and Jesus “Chuy” Alexis Rodriguez traveled from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, to Greenville in May to fulfill Jesus’ dream of walking.
After 169 nights of stay at the Ronald McDonald House Carolinas, Chuy and his grandmother have now returned home to Mexico with custom prosthetics after months of surgery, physical therapy and hospital visits to Shriners in Greenville.
Originally from Mexico, the pair travelled 24 hours with three transfers to arrive in Greenville, South Carolina earlier this year.
Lupita and Chuy are not new to traveling for specialized care. The grandmother and grandson spent time in Houston to receive care for his arms, engaging in extensive therapy and staying at RMH in Texas.
During their visit with doctors, Chuy learned that the nerves in his legs were nonfunctional. He, however, never envisioned spending his life in a wheelchair. The 13 year old dreamed of a life outside of his wheelchair, learning to walk on his own.
The pair decided to pursue prosthetics, bringing them to Greenville, South Carolina to receive specialized care at Shriners.
After being on a waiting list for a year, the family was finally approved to come to Shriners and take the first step in Chuy’s new chapter. Chuy’s godfather, the mayor of their town, provided the necessary sponsorship needed to catalyse the opportunity.
Though the trip was initially expected to be short, complications turned their few month stay into a 169 night journey at RMHC.
This summer, Chuy underwent surgery that became complicated by an infection, requiring daily hospital visits to heal a wound from the inside out. Chuy’s stay was extended until November.
This time of uncertainty placed Lupita under great stress, unsure of the outcome and what it would mean for Chuy. Stressed and worried about her grandson’s health, Guadalupe developed complex health issues due to extreme stress and her history with polio.
During this period of high stress when she feared Chuy would not recover, the community at the house provided essential emotional support to help heal and aid her.
“Imagine being here by yourself,” she said.
Besides having one another, their family is in Mexico. She could only call them as she stressed over his future. She was so far from home, but the thing that kept her strong: knowing that she and Chuy had one other and the support of other families at the House.
Guadalupe emphasized the importance of the Spanish-speaking community within the House, noting that other residents provided emotional strength when she faced the uncertainty of Chuy’s recovery.
A resident named Juanita provided significant kindness by taking the family to eat at Chili’s and gifting Lupita two pairs of sneakers. Through donations found online, the family also received a new electronic wheelchair for Chuy.
The community the House provided exceeded her expectations. Not only did families support her, but having support from meal volunteers, stocked pantries, and great facilities helped relieve stress during her time of need.
And Chuy, although he was initially upset about missing table tennis competitions, he has since adjusted to his stay, making friends with families, staff and volunteers alike. The 13 year old knows what this stay means for his mobility and has made extraordinary progress towards his goals.
Now, the family is back home and Chuy has his first set of prosthetics. What was once a hope and dream has now become a reality thanks to RMHC and its community of support.