Our story

In September 2022, Mateo "Tato" was a vibrant, fun-loving two-and-a-half-year-old boy. After experiencing recurring fevers over the course of two weeks, his mother, Rachel, grew concerned and took him to the emergency room. There, at Huntsville Hospital, Tato was diagnosed with leukemia. The following morning, he was transferred to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for specialized care and treatment.

St. Jude & Chemo

Mateo was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia known as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) once he arrived in Memphis, Tennessee at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He, along with his parents and grandmother, resided at St. Jude for six months while he underwent rounds of chemotherapy in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. Tragically, just three months after celebrating his third birthday, Mateo passed away in March 2023.