Local boy is waiting for a new heartbeat

One Yuma boy is waiting to have a heartbeat of his own again and the community is coming together to help him in his time of need.

Gabriel Gonzales, 10, has spent his time at Phoenix Children’s Hospital waiting to receive a heart transplant.

Isabella Ramirez, Gabriel’s family friend, said that Gabriel was just your every day fourth-grader, until one tragic day in April.

“They were going to go out and get some snacks. They were waiting for him, but he excused himself to go to the bathroom. He took a while. They went to go look for him,” said Ramirez. “He was found and they started working on him because he was not responding.”

Since that day, Gabriel has called the cardiovascular intensive care unit at Phoenix Children’s Hospital home.

His heart condition enlarged the left side of his heart. It’s called ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy.

“He’s attached to a total artificial heart, which he’s connected to,” said Ramirez.

Jesus Garcia, Gabriel’s father, said that they did not know about the condition, but doctors explained that Gabriel could have been born with the defect and it could have progressed throughout his life.

“We are hoping he can get a heart soon, so he can go back to his normal life,” said Ramirez, Gabriel’s family friend.

Gabriel’s family is making sure that he is living a normal life while he waits for a new heart.

He was recently able to leave the hospital to see a movie with his family.

While he is in Phoenix, Ramirez, and her husband will be hosting a takeover at Round Table Pizza today from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. A portion of the money made today will go to Gabriel and his family.