Santiago Rene Ortiz Jr. was born on May 4, 2005 to his proud parents who never expected their son would weigh only 1lb 14oz when he blessed his family with his presence. He truly defines the word miracle. Santiago was born at 25 weeks gestation after his twin passed away at 12 weeks old. His inner drive to survive has always been present and continues to be today. He graduated from Visalia Christian Preschool just a few weeks ago and looks ahead to being in kinder in August. His vibrant smile is contagious and his love for adventure keeps everyone around him filled with energy. He brings hugs to every family gathering and loves to barbecue on his mini weber grill! He would never have reached this point in his life without the solid medical care he received at Valley Children's Hospital. The hospital staff dedicated their tender skills to his every need and created a healthy start we could never repay them for. Santiago is very protective of his sister who is only 7 months a part from him in age due to his prematurity. He loves her unconditionally and considers her to be his best friend. When we see him today, he brings joy, happiness and a sense of peace to our life. His short life has inspired our family to appreciate the miracle of life. He started off on a roller coaster filled with medications, medical machines, and constant doctor visits. Santiago now enjoys a smooth life filled with swimming, barbecuing, and family vacations. His sister Camrielle adores him and loves playing baseball on the same team as her brother. His first year on a flag football team was a blast and his love for competition has all of us excited on the sidelines. Santiago is incredible, marvelous, outgoing, unique, loveable, courageous, and most of all a miracle. If you had the opportunity to meet him he would annoint you with his contagious smile and vibrant personality.
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