SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio mother, who has given so much help to a south-side community, is now in need of a little helping hand herself. Rios started the Harlandale Sunshine Pantry during the pandemic.
Rios's son, Demetrios, has overcome a lot of obstacles in his 16 years of life. When he was born, he was given a bleak outlook with a life expectancy of 10 years, and requires constant medical care.
"He has autism, he is also epileptic, and he has a syndrome called the 15q deletion syndrome," said Rios.
To help control the seizures, Demetrios takes medication, which has taken a toll on his body. Rios said they are affecting his liver, mental and physical health.
Demetrios also suffers from Grand Mal seizures, but over the past two years, they have gotten worse.
Demetrios also is at risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. In order to improve his quality of life, doctors said he needs a Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS).
The VNS device can reduce the number of seizures and severity. Once installed, Demetrios would also be able to take less medication and lower his risk of sudden death.
Lotus Rios has done so much for the community, so others wanted to help. Someone started a GoFundMe to help with out of pocket cost of the surgery and travel.
The goal is to raise $7,800 and so far, the campaign has already raised $5,312.
"It's a second chance at having the life he wanted," said Lotus Rios.
If you would like to chip in and help Rios give her son that second chance, you can click here.