Nutley Man Continues ‘Comeback’ Story After Devastating Stroke

NUTLEY, NJ — Before a devastating stroke left him unable to walk and talk, Xavier Ortiz was an active basketball fanatic with plans to become an electrician. His dreams were big – and they still are. And according to his family, they’re looking forward to the “comeback” story of a lifetime from the 21-year-old.

They just need a little bit of help.

On Wednesday, Ortiz’s mother, Ramona, reached out to Patch to share an update about her son, who suffered a brain stem stroke in April last year.

Ortiz said her son is now fully dependent on his family for care. And while they have enough love to keep them going – they’re a “very close, Brady Bunch-type” of people – there’s no denying that the situation has turned their world upside down.

Like many other New Jersey families who have run up against enormous medical bills, the Ortiz family has turned to crowdfunding to help cover the difference. As of Thursday, a GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $31,000 from over 380 donors in support of Xavier Ortiz.

Learn more or make a donation here.

The ongoing fundraiser, launched last year, gave more details about Ortiz from the viewpoint of his loved ones:

“A little about this amazing human I get to have the honor to call my son. X is your average 20-year-old ‘kid’ or man, LOL (not sure if he would like me to call him a kid). He loves many things but his top three are basketball, Natasha (his girlfriend) and his family! Somewhere in there is his love for his grandma's cooking as well. X is a HUGE sports fanatic (favorite player in basketball is Devin Booker). He is a loving kid with an amazing heart. Before his injury he was well on his way to obtain an apprenticeship to become an electrician. He has big dreams and we know he will accomplish them one day.”

According to Ortiz, the fundraiser will pay for medical expenses that may not be covered through insurance, and for the assistance to help modify their home for her son.

• See related article: Meet 9 NJ Families Who Crowdfunded To Pay Medical Bills

The Ortiz family has also given back to the community as their journey continues, taking up the call as advocates for stroke awareness.

They spoke about the abrupt way the stroke happened with Insider.com earlier this year, recalling how Xavier originally went to the hospital emergency room with a severe headache and disturbing numbness – which was initially dismissed as a migraine.

When he began seizing in bed the next morning, his family called an ambulance and he returned to the hospital. It wasn’t until the next day that they learned Ortiz had suffered a serious stroke and had a 3 percent chance of survival.

Since launching the GoFundMe campaign, Ortiz has continued to provide updates about his inspiring progress. They have included:

July 23, 2021 – “Hellooo all of you amazing people! I wanted to update you and let you know X has made some great gains this week. He passed a swallow test so he is able to eat thicker foods that are easy to swallow. He got a haircut; first time since injury. The smile on his face was priceless. We count our blessings everyday and celebrate every victory. 1 day at a time.”

Aug. 17, 2021 – “Hi All!! I wanted to share an amazing update. X will be coming home tomorrow. We are so excited. He still has a long road for full recovery but a step forward is indeed a step forward. Thank you for your continued prayers please keep them going.”

May 11, 2022 – “Hi Everyone! It has been a while since we have updated everyone on Xavier's progress. Well he is doing great! The recovery is a long process however he is healthy and making his 'Pinky Moves' daily. Xavier is enrolled in music speech therapy which is helping him form sounds & eventually words again. He is actively taking part is his care and communicating via text his thoughts. He is in the process of hopefully moving to an electric wheelchair. Which allows him to gain some of that independence back. We are working on different types of therapies for his arms, hands, legs and feet. He has so many things on the horizon that his future is so bright! We just get through each hurdle the best we can.”

May 27, 2022 – “Hi, all – I wanted to share an update regarding X. He is doing great. He is eating a lot more - last 2 days he has eaten scrambled eggs with diced taylor ham (or pork roll depending on where you are from). He eats every meal, drinks and takes all his medications orally. This is a far from this time last year when doctor's told us the grieving family he would never eat or breathe on his own! At this point he is starting to feed himself his lunch meal. He uses a device called Saebo Mas mini which relieves the gravity from his shoulder and help give him control to bring the food to his mouth. He will also start aquatic therapy soon. So that will help get his legs strong again! Those who know X he had tree trunks for legs! lol. So overall great things are happening. Next is my outreach for support. X is scheduled for a procedure in August that insurance absolutely does not cover. Each injection is $8200. This injection has done wonders for stroke survivors. The medication is Enbrel however is in not FDA approved for this use. Please feel free to YouTube the provider and see the miracles at work. They are called Institute of Neurological Recovery or INR. We are starting to fundraise again for these injections. He is currently scheduled for 2. If he yields positive results the goal is for him to have 2 more. Please please please share the heck out of this fundraiser.”

July 21, 2022 – “X had surgery to flatten out his feet 2 weeks ago. He is doing so well. He received the green light to start intense physical therapy in 2 weeks. We are ready to work.”

While Ortiz’s progress has been inspiring, the medical bills have continued to pile up. And the effort to raise money for his treatment also continues, his family told Patch.

On his 22nd birthday, which takes place Sept. 21, the Ortiz family will host a fundraiser from 5 to 10 p.m. at Michael's Roscommon House in Belleville, which will donate 20 percent of the bill for anyone who mentions Xavier’s name that night. People should mention the fundraiser when paying for or ordering their meals.

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