Caravan to honor girl going in for heart surgery

McKenzy Pasillas

Open heart surgery is scary for everybody, but 11-year-old McKenzy Pasillas will have to endure the anticipation twice. McKenzy was scheduled for her surgery in March, but because of COVID-19 concerns, it was postponed. It has been rescheduled for Thursday.

“McKenzy was anxious, not eating or sleeping when it was first scheduled and felt a sense of relief when it was postponed,” McKenzy’s mother Claudia Pasillas said. “Now that it’s been rescheduled, I dont have the heart to tell her. As her mom, my job is to fix what hurts and kiss the boo boos away, but sadly this is one heartbreaking diagnosis that I can’t fix.”

So, to help Claudia break the news to her daughter, she decided to put together a caravan celebration on Sunday (May 17) to celebrate the birthday she’ll miss because of recovery after the surgery.

McKenzy Pasillas

McKenzy’s 12th birthday is June 11, just three weeks after her open heart surgery. The driveby will take place for anybody who wants to join in on Sunday. Claudia is hoping to have friends and neighbors meet at Gault Field at 1:00 p.m. (decorated golf carts and cars are welcomed) and then head down Longhorn Drive by 1:15 p.m. in a caravan.

“I plan to tell McKenzy of her rescheduled surgery date just before the driveby,” Claudia said. “I’m hoping for a good turnout to wish her well and to acknowledge an early birthday.”

With the strict need to keep all distanced from McKenzy, there will be no gathering. But, a stream of cars expressing well wishes and happy birthdays should be the uplifting medicine her mother is hoping for.

“We’ve invited the fire station to have one of their trucks lead the way,” she said. “They said they’ll be there!”