👶 Hi! My name is Luis Fernando
I was born on August 25th, the feast day of Saint Louis, King of France.
I am very new to this world, but my family and friends are already completely in love with me. 💙
I feel very blessed and happy to be here, and my family would like to share a little more about my story and why we need your prayers, love, and support.
Something Special About Me
There is something very special about me:
I was born with Down syndrome.
This is not something that frightens my family. It is part of how God formed me in my mother’s womb, part of who He created me to be, and I am surrounded by a family that already loves me exactly as I am.
🙏 I am a blessing, and my family receives me with gratitude and love.
❤️ My Little Heart
In addition to Down syndrome, I was born with a congenital heart condition called a complete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD), also known as a complete AV canal defect.
This means that the center of my little heart did not form normally before I was born.
Because of this, I will need open-heart surgery to repair my heart.
My First Days in the NICU
During my first days of life, I received care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at West Boca Medical Center in Boca Raton, Florida.
Although I remained stable for several days, my heart condition causes me to tire easily, especially while feeding.
Doctors gave me diuretics to help my lungs get rid of excess fluid. Unfortunately, the medication caused some side effects, including:
- Loss of important electrolytes such as sodium and calcium
- Low blood pressure
Because of these complications, the doctors had to stop the diuretics.
After the medication was discontinued, my breathing became more labored.
For that reason, my doctors decided that I needed a higher level of specialized cardiac care.
🚑 A New Step in My Journey
I was transferred from West Boca Medical Center to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.
There, I can receive care from a team specializing in:
❤️ Pediatric cardiology
🫀 Pediatric cardiac surgery
🍼 Feeding and growth
🫁 Breathing and respiratory support
👶 Complex care for babies like me
This is an important new step in my journey.
My doctors want specialists who are experienced in caring for babies like me to closely monitor my heart, breathing, feeding, growth, and overall condition.
The goal is to help me grow stronger and determine the best timing and plan for the open-heart surgery I will eventually need.
🙏 What the Coming Months May Bring
My family still does not know exactly how long I will need to remain in the hospital or everything that the coming months will bring.
We expect there will be:
🏥 Hospital stays
🩺 Specialist appointments
🚗 Frequent trips between Boca Raton and Miami
💊 Medical expenses
❤️ Major open-heart surgery
🛏️ Recovery and follow-up care
My family is faithful, loving, and strong, but this is a difficult road for any family.
At the same time, my parents are caring for my siblings — Sofy, Aly, and Leomi — at home while trying to spend as much time with me as possible.
💙 That Is Where My Fan Club Comes In
Any gift or donation will help my family with expenses related to:
- Medical care
- Hospital stays
- Transportation
- Surgery
- Recovery
- The many other needs that will arise along the way
Every contribution, no matter the amount, helps my family stay focused on taking care of me during this difficult time.
But there is something even more important to us than financial help:
🙏 Please Pray for Me
Please pray that:
🙏 God protects me
🫀 My little heart grows stronger
🩺 My doctors and nurses are given wisdom
🍼 I continue growing and gaining strength
❤️ My future heart surgery is successful
👨👩👧👦 God gives strength to my family during the months ahead
We are grateful for every act of generosity, every person who shares this page, every message of encouragement, and above all, every prayer offered for me.
Thank you so much for being part of my fan club!
Hugs,
Luis Fernando and Family
💌 A Little Note from My Family
“We are deeply grateful to every person who has supported us, shared Luis Fernando’s story, and especially kept him in their prayers.
Our little boy has already been through so much in his first days of life, and now, as we begin this new stage of care at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, we place him in God’s hands and ask you to continue praying for him.
Please pray for his heart, for his growth and strength, for the doctors caring for him, and that his surgery will be successful when the time comes.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for walking with our family through this journey.”
A Message to Luis Fernando’s Fans from Lauren Suarez, a Family Friend
All donations will go directly to Luis Fernando’s parents and family, the David Martinez family.
These donations will help cover:
🏥 Medical expenses
🛏️ Hospital stays
🚗 Transportation
❤️ Surgery-related costs
🙏 And many other needs Luis Fernando and his family will have throughout his treatment and recovery
Thank you again for helping Luis Fernando grow stronger each day and for surrounding this beautiful little boy and his family with so much love and prayer.
With love, prayers, and gratitude to each and every one of his fans.
🙏 May God bless you and keep you always.
