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Angel Gabriel Quezada, affectionately called "Gabe," was diagnosed with a brain tumor that would require a "long and arduous" journey to recovery in May. On Saturday, June 17, his family put out a call for support and found it answered in spades, receiving over $40,000 in donations in a week.
Quezada is a valued member of Needham High School's football and wrestling teams, according to a post on the Touchdown Club of Needham's Facebook page.
While attending high school and staying active in multiple athletic programs, Quezada was saving for college by working at Chipotle, according to the GoFundMe created to support the teen.
His diagnosis turned his family's lives "upside down."
Within a month, Quezada underwent three surgeries, meeting his newest challenge with "immense courage and determination.
He faces months of intensive rehabilitation to relearn how to walk and speak.
Quezada's mother stopped work to care for her son full-time, but the family's community stepped in to help fund the high schooler's post-surgery care, therapy, and mounting medical bills.
"He is one of the kindest young men I have ever had the privilege to know," wrote one of Quezada's supporters on Facebook. "He is kind, funny, smart, inclusive, always respectful, and a friend to many."
Over 500 people donated to the fundraiser. Donations will "not only aid in his physical recovery but also provide him with the emotional fortitude to face the challenges that lie ahead," the GoFundMe said.
"Thank you for your unwavering support, compassion, and belief in the power of collective kindness," wrote Quezada's sister.
Click here to view the GoFundMe campaign for Quezada.
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