MILWAUKEE — Three-year-old Israel Bombela is one brave Milwaukee boy; he recovered from COVID-19, but his fight is ongoing.
"My brother is brave, wild, strong and he fights," says his sister Leillany, 10.
Israel has Dravet syndrome, a rare severe and lifelong form of epilepsy that often begins in childhood. It currently has no cure and most cases are due to gene mutations, according to the Epilepsy Foundation.
"Every day we have with Israel is a blessing," says Israel's mom, Nereyda.
“The first time my son had a seizure, I thought he was dying in my arms,” she says.
At that time he was six months old. Since then, Israel has spent more time in the hospital than many people will in a lifetime. Israel requires around-the-clock supervision and care.
His mother said COVID-19 caused his seizures to worsen.
Despite the challenges, there's a lot of love in the Bombela home. But one thing is missing that could make all the difference.
They have a GoFundMe set up to help Santa bring Israel a “seizure dog,” his Christmas “Warrior” miracle.
Seizure dogs are trained to respond to a seizure in someone who has epilepsy. The dog would be able to sense oncoming seizures and help Israel and his family stay prepared.
"If it is a boy we will call him 'Warrior,' because that's what they call Dravet kids," says Bombela.
This miracle could possibly save Israel's life and make a big difference for Israel's entire family. For more on the GoFundMe, click here.