Melanie has always had a special light in her. An old soul with a kind heart, wrapped in the body of a 10-year-old girl. She was a dancer, a tennis player, and an ice skater since the age of three. She spoke three languages. There was something about her presence that made people stop and notice when she walked into a room. She was a rare kind of gifted—not just talented, but full of heart.
On September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma swept through South Florida. Like many children, Melanie was frightened and stressed, but we made it through the storm together. What we didn’t expect was what came next.
Just two days later, Melanie developed a high fever. She became weak, started vomiting, and grew increasingly lethargic. With no electricity due to the storm, I rushed her to the nearest urgent care—just a 15-minute drive. Melanie lay quietly in the backseat. When we arrived, I called her name to wake her up. She didn’t respond.
I called 911 immediately. She was rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
Melanie was crashing. She had to be intubated and transferred to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. The image I can never forget: a wall full of IV pumps, two nurses working nonstop, and a doctor telling me that Melanie was septic—and likely wouldn’t make it through the night.
But they didn’t know Melanie.
She’s always been a fighter. She does everything with her whole heart and never gives up. The doctors ran every test imaginable: blood work, scans, genetic panels. Everything came back negative. But whatever attacked her body caused devastating internal damage.
Melanie spent eight months in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. She survived, again and again, even when the odds were stacked against her.
Today, Melanie is still with us. But her life has changed.
She is now fully dependent on a ventilator to breathe. She receives nutrition through a g-tube. She faces daily medical challenges, but her spirit remains strong. That same spark that once lit up dance floors and tennis courts still shines in her.
The hardest part? She hasn’t been able to leave home except for medical appointments. She travels to doctors’ visits by ambulance, because we have no way to safely transport her and all of her equipment. No trips to church. No outings to the beach. No simple family drives. Just four walls and a hospital bed.
We’re asking for help to change that.
A medical transport van would allow Melanie to be part of the world again. She could feel the sun on her face, hear the ocean waves, attend church with her family, and simply enjoy being outside like any other child.
Please help us give Melanie back some of the freedom she deserves. Your support can give her more than mobility—it can give her moments, memories, and joy.
Thank you for your love, support, and kindness. Family and friends of Melanie Martinez are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with a Catastrophic Illness. Melanie has chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses.
