ATLANTA — Faith Cuore, a resilient 17-year-old, is currently fighting for her life, and her family is praying for a miraculous turn of events as the New Year approaches.
With her striking fire-red hair, Faith is not just a beautiful young girl but also a determined, funny soul with a pure and loving heart. She is an old soul who understands that her mom’s survival led to hers.
Featured in 11Alive Anchor Cheryl Preheim's Brave Conquers Fear series in 2017, Faith has faced immense challenges throughout her life, undergoing thirty-six surgeries in the first 11 years of her life. She was born prematurely and spent the first six months of her life in intensive care. She was born with a non-functioning tongue that made it difficult and dangerous to eat. She struggled for years to learn to talk.
As she learned to express what she felt, she would often talk about her mom.
“My mom is the strongest woman in the world.” Faith said in 2018. “She is stronger than a mountain.”
DONATE HERE | Help Faith Get Her Christmas Medical Miracle
Throughout their lives, they have pointed to each other for strength and inspiration.
“To me, my daughter defines bravery," Victoria Cuore, Faith's mother, said. "She made me brave.”
On December 21, Faith fell seriously ill, necessitating emergency surgery. Facing an uncertain prognosis, she underwent multiple operations while being so fragile that the procedures had to be performed in her hospital room.
Faith is currently reliant on a ventilator and numerous life-sustaining machines, with her organs in a state of failure. Heavy sedation has brought her close to a medical coma.
Despite the grim circumstances, Faith's family is clinging to hope, praying for a New Year's miracle. If she survives the critical next few days, a prolonged hospital stay for recovery awaits.
The family, known for their altruistic efforts in creating "A Contagious Smile," a bully-free and judgment-free haven for survivors and those with special needs, now finds themselves in a dire situation. Having dedicated their time and resources to help others, they are now in desperate need of support.
Friends have set up an online fundraiser to help with medical bills for the family, adding that they are already close to losing their home, given financial setbacks.
