The Faith, Hope, and Love

FOUNDATION

How Our Story Began…

In June 2024, our family—my wife Lisa, our three daughters, their husbands, and six healthy grandkids—embarked on the trip of a lifetime, boarding a plane to Aruba.

A few days into our trip, my three–year–old granddaughter, Grace, was acting very lethargic. We went to a medi-merge clinic, where they sent us directly to the emergency room. Alarmed by her blood readings, the doctors kept her overnight.

My daughter Samantha, Grace’s mom, reached out to their pediatrician at home. Since we were arriving home in two days, the doctor made an appointment to see Grace when she's back. We arrived home on Monday, July 1, 2024.

July 2 – Grace visits her pediatrician, who immediately sends her to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. They are not sure what is happening to Grace.

July 3 – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) sends an ambulance to transport her to Philadelphia.

July 4 – Grace is diagnosed with acute liver failure and requires a liver transplant.

July 6 – Sam is designated as her donor and is moved across the street to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn).

July 7 – The transplant is scheduled for 8:00 AM Sunday.

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A prayer chain was started among family and friends. The word spread so quickly. The overwhelming love and support were honestly incredible.

It was Sunday when the surgeon arrived to check on Sam at the University of Pennsylvania. Grace is being prepped at CHOP. We are numb and waiting in shock at the turn of events, yet there is calmness in all of us, especially my daughter Sam.

What happens next is nothing short of miraculous. We are waiting for Sam to be transported for surgery. The surgical team comes in because Sam is the donor, and the surgeons decide to wait a few hours while both teams are on standby. A transplant alters one’s life forever.

Hours turn into the entire day. The surgeons decide to postpone surgery and continue to monitor Grace’s progress. The next few weeks became an emotional rollercoaster—transplant, no transplant. Slowly, Grace’s numbers began to stabilize. After two months, Grace was released from CHOP and treated at home. Dosed with drugs through a feeding tube, her numbers slowly improved.

By spring, there is hope of recovery. Today, Grace is fully healthy and thriving. PRAISE GOD!

Watching my daughter, Sam, and her husband, Ryan, fight for Grace’s life with such devotion was truly emotional and inspiring.

I noticed the grace and dignity shown by other children and their families as they suffered through trying times. Not all families were blessed, as mine was, with a full recovery. Some stayed in the hospitals for months with no improvement. Some were diagnosed and sent home, leaving children and families in difficult situations.

All these events left a lasting impression on me. As happy as I am for the healing and love we received, God only knows how many families need love and support.

As time moves along quickly and family and friends pass over the years, we are driven to search for purpose and the meaning of LIFE. What better purpose is there than to give back, and so THE FAITH, HOPE & LOVE FOUNDATION was born.

Grace’s story is the driving force behind TFHLF. The story is no longer just about Grace, but about the children and families who truly need Faith, Hope, and Love.