COTA for Lorenzo

Our Story

Our Baby Lorenzo’s Story: This little guy is Lorenzo.

He came into our lives on December 1st, the very same day recognized as Biliary Atresia Awareness Day. To this day, I can’t help but wonder about the odds of being born on the same day dedicated to the very rare liver disease he would be diagnosed with.

At first, we had no idea. Biliary atresia is a silent disease that often isn’t discovered until months later, when the damage to the liver may already be irreversible.

Thankfully, my wife has an incredible mother’s instinct. She noticed Lorenzo’s jaundice almost immediately and insisted that further blood tests be done. Because of her persistence, Lorenzo was admitted to the NICU on just his second day of life. What we hoped was a temporary concern turned into a life-changing diagnosis.

At only 26 days old, Lorenzo underwent his first major surgery: the Kasai procedure, named after the Japanese surgeon who developed it. The goal was to save his liver. His bile ducts had been severely damaged, and he had been born without a gallbladder.

The earlier the Kasai is performed, the better the chances of success—but every child is different. As our doctors gently reminded us, only Lorenzo and his lab results would tell us whether his liver would recover or whether he would eventually need a transplant. Hearing the words “liver transplant” for our tiny 7-pound baby was something no parent is ever prepared for.

The Kasai gave us hope, but only temporarily. After three months, it became clear that his lab results were moving in the direction we feared most.

What we didn’t know then was just how fortunate we were.

At 6 months and 15 days old, Lorenzo underwent his second major surgery—a liver transplant. This time, his mom was right beside him in the most extraordinary way possible, giving him not only her love and dreams, but also a piece of her own liver. She gave him a second chance at life.

Today, just one month later, Lorenzo is thriving. He is strong, happy, and full of life. His recovery has been nothing short of remarkable, and so has the kindness we’ve experienced along the way. Family, friends, our medical team, and even complete strangers have surrounded us with love, encouragement, prayers, and generosity. Every act of love and kindness has helped carry us through the hardest days of our lives.

For Lorenzo, this has been a lifetime of challenges packed into just a few months. For us, it has been a journey that has forever changed the way we see life. We have witnessed incredible resilience, unconditional love, and the goodness that exists in people.

This is only the beginning of Lorenzo’s journey, but because of all the love and kindness, it has become a path that feels far less lonely.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for walking it with us.

With gratitude,

Ale, Daniel & Baby Lorenzo

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.