‘We just want our little boy home with us. We have fought so hard for his life – we now just want to regain some sort of peace and normality in our family.’
Ylenia and Rohan Wray were devastated when they found their son Antonio unresponsive, without a heartbeat and not breathing just one month after he was born.
He was resuscitated at Watford General Hospital after an estimated 40 minutes without oxygen, but left severely brain-damaged.
After several weeks of intensive hospital care, the decision was made to turn his ventilator off. But Italian-born Ylenia, 31, disagreed and got the Italian Consulate involved. He was flown to Rome, treated in Bambin Gesù hospital where he got underwent a tracheostomy and gastrostomy in October 2019 and is now being cared for in a hospice run by nuns in Rimini.
His family now want to bring him back to the UK and care for him at home – but need to raise £18,000 for the air ambulance. They have already raised £12,000 and are hoping to raise another £6,000 by mid-June when they hope to be able to bring him home.
‘Antonio is our son and we love him. He reacts to my voice – he opens his eyes when I call – and he can move his hands when asked to. He is still ventilated but his breathing is getting deeper and once he has been stabilised after the journey, we will be able to care for him at home. We just want our little boy home with us. We have fought so hard for his life – we now just want to regain some sort of peace and normality in our family.’
As the only charity in the UK that flies children to hospital by aeroplane, Ylenia initially contacted Lucy Air Ambulance for Children (Lucy AAC) to ask for help. Lucy AAC were able to connect Ylenia with one of their service advisors, Dr Lee Collier, who has worked tirelessly to help facilitate Antonio’s return home to the UK. In addition, the Charity is providing a £7,000 donation to help fund the UK cost of the air ambulance transfer. They were also able to signpost the family to children’s charity Tree of Hope for additional funding support.
‘When we heard Ylenia and Antonio’s story we wanted to do all we could to help them. It is so important to Lucy AAC that families are reunited and that longer distance air transfers are available to any child that needs one.’
The family is supported by children’s charity Tree of Hope. The charity helps families fundraise for children like Antonio with healthcare needs and provides charity status to benefit from gift aid, corporate support whilst also providing donor reassurance.
‘We are pleased to be supporting the Wrays with their fundraising mission and hope they can get Antonio home soon to be with his family.’
Antonio’s family still need to raise £6,000 for the air transfer. Please share their story and, if you are able, donate to help us bring Antonio back to the UK so that he can be cared for at home surrounded by his family
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