Valencia County boy hospitalized in Denver awaiting second heart

Hunter Rael, an 8-year-old boy from Jarales, remains hospitalized at Colorado Children’s Hospital in Denver as he waits for a second heart transplant after complications following a November 2025 operation.

Hunter was first diagnosed with Kawasaki disease in November 2022 at age 5 after a persistent fever and other warning signs sent his family from local care to Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque. Medical guidance stresses that treatment within roughly 10 days of onset reduces the risk of lasting coronary artery damage, a reality Hunter’s family has lived with since his diagnosis. Because pediatric specialists who monitor complex heart conditions are limited in New Mexico, Hunter and his mother, Anna Moya, have been making regular trips to Denver for three years.

After conservative measures were exhausted, transplant surgeons told the family in July 2025 that a heart transplant offered Hunter the best chance at survival. On Nov. 18, 2025, a donor heart became available, and Hunter underwent surgery the following day. The operation was complicated. “It started out good,” Anna said, “but then he coded (his heart stopped beating) for 15 minutes. They brought him back and he was stable. Then he was bleeding and had to go back into surgery.”

Postoperative care included extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, and a period on dialysis after his kidneys were affected. Once those supports were removed, Hunter began cardiac and physical rehabilitation—working on walking and eating—while clinicians assessed how the new heart was functioning. A pressure test suggested initial progress, but an MRI later revealed extensive scar tissue around the transplant. “That won’t get better,” Anna said. “They feel this is worse than his original heart.”

On Jan. 5, 2026, surgeons placed Hunter back on the transplant waiting list. He is currently at the top of that list and must remain in the hospital under continuous observation. “He can’t leave the hospital. We can’t leave this floor without a nurse. They pretty much watch him 24 hours a day,” Anna said. “We are working on getting him healthy so he can get another heart transplant. This is not his forever heart.”

The family faces the dual burdens of medical uncertainty and financial strain. Anna has been staying with Hunter, stepping away from work, while his father, Pat, travels between Colorado and New Mexico. Insurance covers part of a nearby hotel room where Anna showers and does laundry during the day, but extended stays and missed wages add up. Their younger son, Noah, 5, has been allowed to visit and even spend the night at the hospital for a time; small comforts like LEGOs, Pokémon cards and stuffed animals have been a bright spot for Hunter.

For neighbors who want to help, donations can be sent through a GoFundMe campaign searchable at gofundme.com under “Donate for Hunter’s Heart Transplant,” and get-well cards or gifts can be mailed to Kawasaki Kids Foundation, Attn: Hunter, 1298 Main St., Unit A 4221, Windsor, Colo., 80550. There is also a public Facebook group, “Hunters Heart Transplant Journey,” where updates are posted.

The shortage of donor organs and uneven regional access to pediatric specialty care have clear local consequences: long-distance travel for families, interrupted employment, and prolonged hospital stays. More than 103,000 people are on the national transplant waiting list, and on average 13 people die each day waiting for organs. Community support, donor registration, and policies that expand pediatric specialty services in New Mexico could ease the burden for families like the Raels.

“We are going to be here for a really long time. Probably most of the year,” Anna said. “But we’re doing OK. This is what we’re here for, so let’s get this show on the road so we can go home.” The family and medical team will continue preparing Hunter for another transplant while the community watches and supports their long wait.