A newlywed coronary heart transplant affected person has died days after marrying his highschool sweetheart at a hospital chapel final week, his spouse confirmed Wednesday.
Javier Rodriguez, 23, was recognized with dilated cardiomyopathy when he was in seventh grade and has had two coronary heart transplants stemming from the beginning defect. He died in his greatest good friend’s arms Monday evening at residence in Logan Square, surrounded by family members, his spouse Crystal Cuevas-Rodriguez stated.
“Javi was a fighter, and he fought till his very last breath,” Cuevas-Rodriguez stated. “He died beautifully with so much grace.”
The couple acquired married on Nov. 27 in a tiny chapel on the UChicago Medical Complex. They shortly deliberate the marriage after Rodriguez determined over the earlier weekend that he’d had sufficient and would dwell out his previous few days at residence in hospice care.
Two days later, he moved again residence, the place he stayed in his mattress arrange in the lounge whereas pals, household and different family members got here to say goodbye.
“We were all there, sleeping on sofas, talking to him, listening to music,” Cuevas-Rodriguez stated. “The house was full the whole time, and he loved it.”
Cuevas-Rodriguez stated they met after they have been each juniors in highschool and she or he knew he was the love of her life.
“Javi was that man,” she stated emphatically. “He was so confident. He wanted amazing things in life and no one could stop him.”
She stated that Rodriguez would do something for his family members, together with the couple’s toddler daughter, Leia, who was born earlier this yr.
“He loved her so much and just wanted to spoil her,” Cuevas-Rodriguez stated.
She stated that Rodriguez’s situation made it troublesome to do issues like maintain or feed Leia, however he labored “tirelessly” in order that he may.
“Even if he was struggling, in pain or frustrated with life, he put his daughter first,” Cuevas-Rodriguez stated. “It meant the world to me that he gave everything he had to be the best father he could be.”
Cuevas-Rodriguez stated they took a lot of pictures as a household for his or her daughter to recollect him by.
“He loved her with everything, and she’ll know that for a lifetime,” Cuevas-Rodriguez stated.
Funeral preparations can be saved personal, with a ceremony for family and friends. People may help with bills by donating to the household’s GoFundMe web page.
Contributing: Stefano Esposito