LEXINGTON, Ky. — For five years now, a Lexington family has endured high summer temperatures without an AC unit. For their daughter, it’s extra difficult to endure the high temperatures.

Cristal Espinosa has a critical illness that triggers her medical condition.

“She just needs stability while she’s able to work her legs, she doesn't have the strength to walk by herself,” said Francisco Espinosa, her brother.

Every day, Fransisco usually walks Cristal to the park.

“When she was born she had to had an emergency surgery and they took her, they did surgery on her heart and she died for about five or seven minutes,” Francisco said.

Cristal has Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral means having to do with the brain and Palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles.

“Because of the lack of oxygen that did some damage to her brain. So part of her brain is dead, so that's why we're here. But thankfully, she made it to 20-years-old, and we're happy,” Francisco said.

The CDC defines Cerebral Palsy as a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It's a common motor disability in childhood, so you can imagine raising Cristal had its challenges and inspirations.

“My sister? She's honestly, she's my only motivation to keep going. You know, it's really hard but she's the only reason that I go to school to get my degree. She's the only reason that I want to become financially stable, just because of her. I want to be able to give her a much better quality of life,” Francisco said.

Five years ago the family moved to their current home in Lexington living without heat or cold air.

“I'm a college student and whenever I tried to do my homework and like 80 to 90 degrees inside it's unbearable and I can only imagine for her,” Francisco said.

As a result, Cristal's seizures became triggered by the extreme temperatures and lack of consistent sleep. 

The new unit installed in the family's home. (Spectrum News 1/Khyati Patel)

“This has been in progress for almost three years,” said Faith Hacker, with Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

Through the non-profit, they’ve helped elevate Cristal's quality of life and for her entire family paying for a new HVAC system to be installed.

“They have taken care of her for her entire life and to make her life easier and make her feel better in turn makes their life easier,” Hacker said. “And that’s what Make-A-Wish is all about is that we do grant of the wish of the child but we support the entire family and this is an example of truly helping the entire family.”

The HVAC is turning Crital’s life around and providing a more comfortable environment for the family.

“Honestly can't honestly if it weren't for my sister. I don't think I would have been the person that I am today,” Francisco said.

The non-profit organization said there are about 400 children in Kentucky waiting for their wishes to be fulfilled.