Angelo Reyes – Spirit of a Fighter
Fighting is in his family; it’s in his blood.
On June 10, Jose “Angelo” Reyes was going about his everyday work when his boss noticed his eyes were yellow. Angelo made light of it, saying it was just the old lighting fixtures. However, his skin also turned yellow, and his symptoms continued. Eventually, he was convinced to see a doctor who discovered that Angelo had ascites, a liver disease caused by cirrhosis or stress. On June 30, after being evaluated at MountainView Hospital, Angelo learned he had liver failure and was given a MELD score of 27. The score indicates the severity of liver disease and determines a patient’s eligibility for a liver transplant. With a MELD score of 35 being the critical point, Angelo had approximately 30 days to live without a transplant.
Now, nearly a year after receiving his second chance at life, that fighting spirit that flows through him is focused on a new battle—equality and inclusion across healthcare, primarily within the transplant sector.
Recently, Angelo had the opportunity to share how his mental health has progressed throughout his post-transplant journey with the News 3 Las Vegas crew, highlighting the importance of having great support around you.
One of the support groups Angelo mentioned was the Donor Network West Northern Nevada Transplant Support Group, founded by Tom Transplant and supported by Donor Network West. Angelo Reyes was able to immediately find solitude and unity in this group, meeting an individual immediately who had gone through some of the same battles he’s faced throughout his transplant journey. To listen to the entire discussion, please click here.