“Please, wherever you are — stop for a moment and say her name.
Pray for Xara.”

At just two months old, baby Xara Amina Garza is fighting a battle no child should ever face. Born with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) — a hole in the wall separating the two lower chambers of her heart — her life has become a race against time.

When her family first heard the diagnosis, they hoped it was just a small defect, something she would grow out of. But as the days passed, it became clear this was far more serious. The hole in her heart causes her blood to flow in the wrong direction, pushing oxygen-rich blood back into her lungs instead of her body. This makes it hard for her to breathe, eat, and gain the weight she so desperately needs before surgery.

Doctors have scheduled open-heart surgery for the first week of November — a date her family holds onto with both fear and faith. Every breath, every heartbeat, feels like a miracle they are counting one day at a time.

A Family Tested by Love and Faith

For Mari Tapia, Xara’s grandmother, life changed overnight. She never imagined she’d be writing to strangers, asking for help to save her grandbaby’s life. But as she said, “God always has other plans.”

Xara’s parents — a devoted young couple with eight children in their blended family — are doing everything they can to keep hope alive. Their days are divided between hospital visits and caring for the rest of their children, who range from 11 months to 13 years old.

Just one day before they planned to place Xara in daycare so her mother could return to work, doctors delivered heartbreaking news: it would be life-threatening for Xara to be around other children. Her fragile heart couldn’t handle the risk of infection.

That single conversation changed everything. Her mother had no choice but to leave her job and become Xara’s full-time caregiver — unsure how the family would survive financially, but knowing that nothing mattered more than keeping their baby alive.

What Is Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)?

For most people, the heart is something they never have to think about — it just beats. But for babies like Xara, every beat is a battle.

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) means there is a hole between the two ventricles — the chambers responsible for pumping blood to the lungs and the body. Because of this hole, oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle leaks into the right ventricle and back into the lungs. The result is too much blood flow to the lungs, which can lead to heart failure, breathing difficulties, and poor growth.

Many children with small VSDs can live normal lives. But in severe cases like Xara’s, surgery is the only option — and it must happen soon.

Until then, her body is working harder than it should, her tiny lungs and heart constantly under strain. Doctors have warned that even catching a common cold could be life-threatening.

A Mother’s Endless Strength

Every morning, Xara’s mom wakes up to the sound of monitors and the gentle rhythm of her daughter’s breathing. She prays before she picks her up, whispers soft words of love, and watches for signs of struggle — is her breathing too fast? Is her skin turning pale again?

She measures every ounce Xara gains, because each gram means a better chance at surviving surgery. But as the doctors say, every day feels like a race against time.

Despite the exhaustion, the fear, and the sleepless nights, her mother refuses to break. Her faith, she says, is what keeps her standing. “We’ve placed Xara in God’s hands. That’s where she’s safest.”

Still, behind her brave words lies a mother’s heartbreak — the pain of watching her baby hooked to machines, the ache of not being able to fix what’s broken.

The Family’s Silent Struggle

With eight children at home, life doesn’t stop.
While Xara’s parents spend their days in the hospital, they still have to make sure the other kids have food, school supplies, and comfort.

They drive back and forth between hospital and home, holding on to faith that somehow, they will get through this. Bills are piling up, but they remain grounded in love — believing that God will provide through the kindness of others.

Their family’s unity has become their greatest weapon. They pray together every night, not just for Xara, but for strength, patience, and the miracle they know is possible.

A Call for Compassion

Mari Tapia shared their story with trembling hands, knowing that opening their hearts to the world might bring the help they so desperately need.

They are not asking for luxury — only for a little relief to help cover travel, food, and medical expenses during this long and uncertain journey.

Every dollar, every prayer, every message of encouragement means the world to them. “We are a family of strong faith,” Mari says softly. “And we believe that God’s hands are already working through the people reading this.”

Holding On to Hope

Baby Xara’s surgery is approaching fast. Her family is praying she stays strong enough, gains enough weight, and holds on until doctors can repair her tiny heart.

They dream of the day they can finally take her home — no wires, no monitors, just her laughter filling the room. They imagine her first birthday, her first steps, her first words.

For now, they live moment to moment, grateful for each sunrise they get to see her smile.

Because for them, hope is not just an idea — it’s the sound of her heartbeat.

How You Can Help 

Not everyone can donate, and the family understands that. But if you can share Xara’s story, you’re already helping in the most powerful way possible — by spreading love, awareness, and prayer.

Your support means more than money; it means standing beside a family that refuses to give up. It means reminding them they are not alone.

So today, wherever you are — please say her name.
Say it with love. Say it with faith.

Pray for Xara Amina Garza — the little girl with the brave heart.