Texas city opens heart to Mexican boy needing lifesaving surgery

Published: 2005-05-11

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (CNS) -- When a family from Mexico came to Corpus Christi looking for help for their child, the community not only opened its doors but also its heart. "Corpus Christi is an all-American city with an all-American heart," said Bishop Edmond Carmody of Corpus Christi. He said he was proud of the city's effort to help a dream come true for Reuben and Rebecca Carrizales -- that their son would get the medical attention he needed to save his life. The couple arrived in Corpus Christi in mid-April with son Juan Jose, an eighth-grader, who suffers from a life-threatening condition that causes the heart to become thick. The family was still mourning the loss of an older son who died some months before from the same condition. After just a few days in Corpus Christi, with the support and generosity of Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-Memorial and several organizations, Juan Jose underwent surgery at no cost to the family. He is now back home with his family.

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