Christmas miracle helps local family navigate tough times

GEORGETOWN (KXAN)-- It is a Christmas miracle in Georgetown! A local business owner gathered friends, family, and community members to help bring the gift of transportation to a local family whose life was turned upside down.

Last October, 15-year-old student Rigo Orta from Georgetown ISD, traveled to Harlingen, Texas for his grandfather's funeral. During that time Orta became very ill, he was taken to a hospital where he was diagnosed with Myelitis.

Myelitis is a condition that affects the myelin sheath around the spinal cord, after a few hours in the hospital, Orta became paralyzed from the chest down and was kept on a ventilator. On April 30, Orta was sent home in a power chair and is still on a ventilator.

"He's a wonderful kid. I mean, talk about perseverance. This sweet boy had his whole life change in a matter of days, and he has shown determination to continue his education and continue learning," said Julia Britt, Orta's School Psychologist.

"They had no freedom, the kid was on a respirator, and they just didn't know what they should do. It just tugged my heartstrings, I knew that we had the type of friends who if they knew this was needed and that they could help in some way to take one stress off of this family, they would step up," said Cody Hirt, owner of Mesquite Creek Outfitters in Georgetown.

When Hirt came across the Orta family story, he immediately thought of a plan. He and his entire team would use his restaurant earnings from one night and put it all towards the perfect handicapped van for the Orta family. Hirt sent a text message to 11 of his friends and family sharing his idea, but when the responses came back he was in shock.

"I sent out 11 text messages, and the response was, here's how much I want to give. It blew my mind, and when I sent those 11 text messages, we raised all the money that we needed to buy this kid a van for him and his family. So there was no fundraiser needed, which was incredible," Hirt said.

On Dec. 22 the Orta family gathered at Mesquite Creek Outfitters to receive this gift of a Christmas Miracle from their community.

"This is a very great gift for us, it facilitates all the appointments that Rigo has. It gives him a lot more comfort, and we appreciate it because it really helps Rigo in his daily life," said Orta's cousin Jacqulyn Salinas.

The Orta family took home their brand new handicap van suitable for Orta's power chair and spacious enough for him, his parents, and three siblings. Orta's school psychologist says she knows this is one step closer to getting Orta to experience all his community has to offer and celebrate life with his family.

"He was really kind of shy, not really wanting to be out in the community, and after really seeing that this was gonna happen for him and his family, he was excited to come out today. This is the first time he's been out of his home in about a year or so," said Britt.