WINNETKA (CBSLA.com) — A couple whose baby suffered a traumatic brain injury have started a nonprofit organization to assist those who are similarly situated.
Eric Weingrad and his wife have launched Holton’s Heroes in their 1-year-old son’s honor a year after Holton suffered his injury.
“We launched this charity on December 19th, 2015, exactly one year after Holton’s injury,” said Weingrad. “We wanted to take that day back.”
When he was just 3 months old, Weingrad explains that Holton suffered a head injury and stopped breathing allegedly while left in the care of his nanny.
“Personally, when I saw the story on TV of Calin and his injury, it broke my heart. So, we had to do something,” said Weingrad, who saw CBS2’s story on 3-year-old Calin Samora back in October as he and his wife were starting the nonprofit.
Holton barely survived and struggles on a daily basis.
“He has a feeding tube now. He lost the ability to suck on a bottle. He is over a year old and he can’t sit up. He doesn’t grab for things. We’re not sure if he has vision. He can’t hold his head up,” he said. “You name it, he’s dealing with it.”
On Monday, Holton’s Heroes made its first donation to a family in need gifting Calin with a walker so the 3-year-old may finally be able to take his first steps.
“It’s one of my big goals in life for him is to walk. That’d be one freedom he can have that he doesn’t have now,” said Gilbert Samora, Calin’s dad.
The nonprofit has only been active for one month, but it’s raised more than $4,000 and will help two families, including Calin’s, before the end of the month all in the name of their only son.
“We’re going to take the inner strength that we know he has because that’s why he’s here today and just spread that around,” Weingrad said.
It’s a gift made all the more special because the Weingrads are still in need of help for their son as well.
“They need it as much as I do or they will need it as much as I do so it’s hard accepting something from someone else but you know sometimes you just gotta let your pride down and just go for it,” Samora said.
To learn more about Holton’s Heroes, click here.