Muscular Dystrophy: One Disease that Helped Connect Two Families

Photo: Jesus Cruz and his mother, Carmen Navarro. Source: The Signal: Santa Clarita Valley. 

Ten-year-old Jesus Cruz isn't like other boys his age. Since the day he was born, he fought Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Like other families, his has struggled to overcome the challenges this illness brings. But, recently, their lives have taken a dangerous turn. 

On the afternoon of January 19, a fire broke out in the garage of their apartment in Canyon Country. According to the family, the incident happened quickly, and Jesus' mother, Carmen Navarro, was only able to secure themselves and nothing more. The firemen were quick to put out the fire and stop it from spreading further into the apartment. And, after further inspection, The Los Angeles County Fire Department identified the cause of the fire to be electrical.

The family was able to evacuate during the incident and was thankful enough for their safety. However, the water filled the apartment, leaving all their belongings soaked and wet. This was also the case for Jesus’ powered wheelchair that was trapped inside the apartment during the fire.

The fateful encounter

Upon knowing the unfortunate incident, a complete stranger named Ethan Marquez was quick to respond to help.

Ethan Marquez is fueled by the passion to help others; Marquez started a program called Peyton’s Project as a way to help his son, Peyton, who's also suffering from muscular dystrophy. The group’s mission is to help people afflicted with Duchenne muscular dystrophy by donating technological devices that would help them move around, providing research for the continued search for a cure, and by encouraging parents and family members to approach this problem with an open heart.

When Jesus and his family knew about the good news brought to them by Marquez, they were thrilled and grateful for his selfless deed. Marquez and Peyton delivered the replacement chair themselves to see and meet the family. The Navarro family met Marquez’s family, and the both of them, while being completely unrelated and unfamiliar with each other, felt connected because of something they have in common— their determination to overcome this illness.

Navarro family was happy for their young boy and thankful for Peyton’s Projects and the people behind the mission who helped them alleviate some of their problems.

Jesus was also excited to try out his new electric-powered mobility scooter. He was thankful for the group’s generosity and was mostly surprised. It was unexpected for him and his family to receive such a valuable piece of equipment.

Carmen was moved by the group’s help. She admitted that if it weren’t for them they would have waited for months to have his son’s old power wheelchair fixed. She was eternally grateful and deeply uplifted by the kindness that they’ve shown.

Read on to learn more about how muscular dystrophy united these two families, and the impact Peyton's project has for patients.