In 2014, 3-year-old Genesis Fuentes from Belize City, Belize, had a congenital heart condition that if left without surgery gave her a life expectancy of only 12 to 18 more months.

But thanks to the Rotary International Club’s “Gift of Life” program, the Newtown chapter raised enough funds to get Genesis the lifesaving open-heart procedure she needed to survive.

On March 21, roughly eight years later, Genesis returned to Newtown — now a healthy, happy 11-year-old — for a celebration in honor of her successful medical journey.

After gathering at The Newtown Bee offices to recreate a photo that was taken in 2014, Genesis met with members of local Rotary clubs, as well as many residents, in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall where they shared heartfelt sentiments and broke bread together.

Decorated around the room were large photos of children from all over the world who have been helped by the Gift of Life program. There were also flowers arranged on every table bursting with color and vitality.

According to the Gift of Life International website, the nonprofit transforms “the lives of children with heart disease and their families by coordinating the efforts of 84 autonomous Gift of Life programs in 80 countries across five continents with like-minded partner charities, hospitals, health care professionals, Rotarians, and other volunteers to develop sustainable pediatric cardiac surgery, catheterization, and aftercare programs in emerging countries.”

As the event got rolling, Newtown Rotary Club member Pat Caruso — who played an integral part in Genesis receiving the Gift of Life — thanked the many people in the room who took part in helping Genesis.

He kindly highlighted many individuals, including Newtown residents Monica Toll and her husband, Mike, a fellow Newtown Rotarian, who served as host family to Genesis and her cousin, Melanie Lopez, back in 2014 when they came to the United States.

Caruso concluded the list, saying, “Most importantly, we have our guest of honor, Genesis,” and the crowd broke into applause.

To show his appreciation for Genesis and her cousin, he gave them each a bouquet of flowers.

Caruso shared how the Newtown Rotary Club first heard about the Gift of Life program back in 2010 and knew they wanted to contribute to the cause. Genesis became the first child in the program they were able to help.

“Genesis, we are very proud of you,” Caruso said.

Gift Of Life

Present at Genesis’ celebration was Gift of Life International Founder/Director Robbie Donno, who spoke about his charity’s work.

The organization has helped children from nearly a dozen countries, including Kosova, the Philippines, and Dominican Republic, receive surgery and the group plans to expand its efforts to even more countries.

He added, “We have promised that at some point we are going to do a documentary.”

To showcase what the Newtown Rotary Club has done so far, Donno presented a video of clips to show them what will one day be part of the documentary.

The footage began with shots of young Genesis landing in the United States with her cousin and being greeted at the airport. It then chronicled her medical journey and left the audience captivated.

First Selectman and Rotarian Dan Rosenthal had an opportunity to speak about his connection with the Gift of Life program as attendees dined on a catered meal.

He recalls how meeting Genesis and her cousin in 2014 was “really remarkable.”

“When she arrived,” Rosenthal said, “her lips were blue from lack of oxygen, but after the surgery, she made an incredible transformation."

“To see her leave as a healthy, happy, young girl was really terrific,” Rosenthal said. “Rotary got involved more after that. I really credit Pat [Caruso] for bringing it to the club and, not only that, but continuing to shepherd it.”

The experience inspired Rosenthal to offer to be a host family in 2015 to Hazel Ricardel-Alquilos, of Cebu in the Philippines, and her son, Bezalel, who received the Gift of Life.

“It really was wonderful for my family, selfishly. We formed a bond with Hazel and Bezalel. When he arrived, he was 2 years old and weighed about 12 pounds … if not for the Gift of Life he would not be alive today,” Rosenthal said.

It also impacted his children, specifically his oldest daughter who is studying medicine in college and his younger daughter who is going to study nursing.

Turning to Genesis, Rosenthal said, “I think it is great eight years later having you come back and see things come full circle and the fact that you are healthy and doing wonderful ... I look forward to having you come back again. We are all very blessed to have you here. Thank you.”

Paying It Forward

Caruso spoke once more, saying, “As you see, Rotary does a tremendous amount of things throughout the world … the Gift of Life program really touches a lot of hearts. It’s amazing.”

He reminisced how the first time he saw Genesis in 2014 she had come to the United States and ran up to him with balloons.

“She literally almost passed out,” Caruso said. The amount of effort it took the young child to do such a simple action that so many take for granted pulled at his heartstrings.

He noted how they were fortunate to have the Toll family be such great hosts for Genesis and her cousin — even getting Genesis to gain healthy weight before her surgery.

Between that care and the successful operation, the results were awe-inspiring.

“When she went back home … as the story was told to me, when she got off the airplane, she literally ran to her brother. It was as if someone turned on the light switch and gave her the child energy. Everyone was quite emotional,” Caruso said.

Newtown Rotary Club went on to also help two children from Kosova that same year and the family Rosenthal hosted from the Philippines the following year.

During the celebration, Newtown Rotary Club ensured that even more children can receive lifesaving heart surgery by making a $5,000 contribution to the Gift of Life program.

The following day, Newtown Rotary Club President Alex Villamil reflected on the special night when telling The Newtown Bee, “For me it was a pleasure to meet Genesis for the first time.”

“One of the reasons for me joining the club was the thought that Rotary had the potential to change people’s lives,” he said. “Genesis is proof of the mutual blessings that a recipient, as well as a bestower, share, as well as the positive reverberations that the gift of life has on parents, family, and friends.

“The initial act of saving her life seven years ago, and the celebration in welcoming her back to Newtown, demonstrate the kindness of spirit and caring that we are all capable of. The Gift of Life is a conduit to channeling what is best in us, which is why the Newtown Rotary continues to contribute year after year,” Villamil added.

To learn more about the Gift of Life program, visit giftoflifeinternational.org. To become a member of Newtown Rotary Club and make a positive difference in the lives of people like Genesis, visit newtownctrotary.org.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.