It has been just two weeks since a senseless act of gun violence upended the life of 16-year-old Orell Reyes, a promising teenage footballer from Pomona, after he was shot shortly wrapping up a routine football practice. The incident left the teen paralyzed from the waist down, with a bullet still permanently lodged in his spine, and has thrown his family into financial and emotional turmoil as they face a devastating medical choice.
To help cover the soaring costs of specialized care for Reyes, family friend and his mother Kimberly Estero’s employer Whitney Greenen launched a public GoFundMe campaign on the family’s behalf. Initially, the fundraiser was organized to cover expenses for a trip to Merida, Mexico, where medical specialists were set to assess whether surgical removal of the embedded bullet could help Reyes regain the ability to walk – a goal the teen has held onto since the shooting.
But in a heartbreaking update shared this week with local outlet News 5, Estero revealed that new input from two independent medical specialists has thrown the family’s plans into chaos. Both clinicians have warned that the procedure the family pinned their hopes on carries extreme, life-threatening risk, labeling the potential operation as nothing short of a life-or-death surgery. Experts say any attempt to access the bullet positioned near Reyes’ spine could leave him worse off than his current paralyzed state, or even claim his life.
Faced with this terrifying prognosis, Estero says she cannot bring herself to move forward with the procedure. “If the two doctors are saying the same thing, I am really scared to do so,” she shared in an interview, her fear and exhaustion palpable. Estero has stepped back from full-time work to stay by her son’s side around the clock as he recovers and adjusts to his new life, leaving the family without a steady income to cover mounting everyday and medical expenses.
Even amid the uncertainty over surgery, Estero emphasized that every donation to the GoFundMe campaign remains deeply meaningful and necessary for her family. “I would like any help, because there are things that I cannot afford again,” she explained, noting that the funds will go toward covering basic living costs and ongoing care for Reyes during this unplanned crisis.
On the campaign page, Greenen paid tribute to the young footballer, describing him as a kind, respectful young person who had a bright future stretching out before him before the shooting. “No 16-year-old should lose the chance to run, play football, pursue an education, or build the future he imagined because of a senseless act of violence,” Greenen wrote. Orell’s greatest remaining wish, Greenen shared, is still one day being able to walk again, regardless of the current decision to pause high-risk surgery.
The GoFundMe page remains open for public donations from anyone wishing to support the Reyes family through this devastating period.