A Canyon Country family celebrated their son’s 16th birthday a few days before the unthinkable happened.

Jesus Ortiz Salinas was known to be “a very intelligent child at school” who liked to play video games and was very passionate.

He enjoyed sushi and pizza and looked to the future aspiring to be a medical-forensic expert.

The Golden Valley High School student occasionally worked with his father delivering food to earn money to buy his own things.

But on Nov. 19, Salinas complained of a severe headache, began to vomit and was unconscious in his room, according to his mother, Shivani Sal.

That night, Salinas suffered a stroke, leading to a coma.

“Now all those dreams are inconclusive because of a stroke he had,” said Sal.

Salinas’ doctors believe that his severe brain damage will likely affect his speech and ability to walk again, according to his mother.

“The doctors told me that he had a lot of brain damage and that he will not be the same child we knew,” said Sal.

To this day, his mother continues to stay at the hospital, while his father works 16 hours a day as an Uber driver. He also takes care of their two other children — a one-year-old boy and four-year-old daughter.

Because of this, the family started a GoFundMe campaign to cover Salinas’ unforeseen medical expenses.

“I dared to publish this campaign because we need a lot of economic help because we are going to be in the hospital for months and a lot of recovery and therapy,” said his mother. “And until now there are many expenses that we have to make and those that we still have to do.”

As of Friday, the campaign has received just over $5,000 in donations out of its $150,000 goal.

The family has faced a dramatic change in their lives, but through it all has not left her without hope for her son, according to Sal.

“I never thought I would be in this situation, how something like that changes your life completely and how it damages the family,” Sal said. “I do not lose hope that my son will recover.”

To donate to the family’s GoFundMe campaign, click here.

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