After months of waiting, a young boy from Cuba battling a medical condition is getting a second chance at life after he and his family received a visa to travel to South Florida for treatment.
Damir Ortiz was diagnosed with type 1 neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic condition that causes tumors on nerve tissue.
After months of waiting, a young boy from Cuba battling a medical condition is getting a second chance at life after he and his family received a visa to travel to South Florida for treatment.
Damir Ortiz was diagnosed with type 1 neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic condition that causes tumors on nerve tissue.
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WATCH HEREOn Wednesday, he arrived at Nicklaus Children's Hospital after his family obtained a humanitarian visa.
"What emotion, I'm shaking, I'm as cold as ice," his mother, Eliannis Ramirez, said in Spanish.
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The news came last Friday that after months of medical complications and setbacks, Ortiz would be allowed to travel to the U.S.
"Damir woke up and wanted to pull out the tube. I told him I was going to take him to the land of toys because he says the U.S. is the land of toys, but it's the country where he'll be saved," his mother said.
It wasn't easy or cheap to get Ortiz to Miami. More than $45,000 was raised in less than 24 hours for his transportation.
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The family said Ortiz is on a ventilator, waiting for his respiratory system to recover and his lungs to improve.
