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Coral Springs Family Seeks Community Support for Toddler Battling Mysterious Illness

Hunter Garcia {courtesy family}

A Coral Springs family is reaching out to the community for support as they continue a relentless search for answers to their 2-year-old son’s undiagnosed medical condition.

Hunter was a happy baby until his first birthday when his health first declined. His parents, Diego and Sandra Garcia have spent over a year and a half consulting with specialists, undergoing extensive medical tests, and navigating countless hospital visits—all without a definitive diagnosis.

So between nine months and a year, we noticed that Hunter was not hitting some of his milestones, said Diego to Coral Springs Talk.

We were told that he had hypotonia, which is low muscle tone, and we started him with all sorts of therapies.

Hunter was able to sit up and was stand assisted as well as sit on his high chair and be fed like a typical toddler, and play with his toys.

However, when he hit a year and a half, he got sick with a virus that was never identified. He had five days of fever and became very lethargic. It took him several weeks to come out of it, but once he started coming out of it, he started losing a lot of his motor skills. He started losing his strength that allowed him to sit on his own, he lost the weight-bearing ability which was him standing assisted.

According to Diego, slowly, he also lost his ability to hold his head up on his own, and within four months, he was not able to sit, stand, or play with his toys. He also started to lose some of the ability to eat solid foods, as he would almost choke on his food.

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While all this was happening, we started our crazy journey of doctors and exams. In May of 2024, after his first MRI, they noticed abnormal brain waves; we were told he was epileptic even though he never had any seizures.

“November 29 of last year, he had his first seizure. That in itself is so scary as a parent, and we were in the ER multiple times within the course of a few days,” he said.

Today, Hunter cannot walk, crawl, or sit up on his own at all, has no head control, is on medication for seizures, and is unable to communicate with us verbally.

They are preparing to take Hunter to Boston Children’s Hospital next month in hopes of finding answers. The trip, recommended by doctors at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, is a crucial step in Hunter’s journey, but the financial burden of ongoing medical expenses has been overwhelming.

Diego and Sandra are longtime residents of Coral Springs. Sandra, who has lived in the same home her entire life, worked for the Coral Springs Police Department for many years before becoming a teacher at Seton Ridge Children’s Center, affiliated with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.

Their older sons, Gavin, 12, and Gage, 10, have participated in city sports, attended local schools, and completed their religious education at St. Elizabeth.

Diego, an independent financial adviser working from home, has taken on the role of full-time caregiver for Hunter, who requires around-the-clock attention. Hunter cannot sit up unassisted and relies on specialized equipment, making everyday tasks a challenge. Every meal must be pureed, and he requires constant adjustments to ensure his comfort and well-being.

“It has been very challenging,” said Diego. “My wife works two to three days out of the week, so we have a consistent paycheck coming in since I work strictly on commission. Having a fully disabled son, there needs to be one of us present at all times.”

Despite undergoing MRIs, EEGs, muscle biopsies, a spinal tap, nerve conduction studies, and numerous ER visits, Hunter’s condition remains undiagnosed. His parents have exhausted every local medical resource, and specialists continue to be baffled.

With mounting medical costs, the family is seeking support to help cover the expenses of Hunter’s ongoing treatments, therapies, and travel to Boston. A GoFundMe campaign that has already raised $3,000 has been launched to assist with their financial burden, and they are asking the community to contribute in any way they can.

“If you are unable to donate, sharing his story can be just as powerful,” said Hunter’s godmother, Racheal Smith who organized the GoFundMe. “Someone out there may have been through something similar, and that connection could change everything.”

While Hunter’s journey has been uncertain, his family remains hopeful that Boston’s specialists will provide the breakthrough they desperately need. To support Hunter’s medical journey, visit his GoFundMe page.

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.