Emerson Rosa wanted to surprise his wife after buying a new car. Ever since the 32-year-old Brazilian started dating Kerileine Fernanda (33), they have dreamed of owning their own vehicle.
Kylie’s pregnancy (as her family calls her) seemed like the ideal time to realize her dream.
The accident happened last May. Emerson documented the moment he surprised his partner.
In the video, she leaves the house with a helmet in hand. “Hey, where is our motorcycle?” she asked her husband.
Then he handed her a key. Carey quickly realized it was a car key and ran to a car parked next to her.
“This is our first car,” she said excitedly as she opened the door.
The video went viral, racking up millions of views and garnering thousands of comments from excited people congratulating them.
“Now, it’s painful to watch that video,” Emerson said in another TikTok post a year later.
“A lot of people watch that video and move on to the next one (from another profile on TikTok). They don’t see our current reality,” he said.
The couple’s daughter, Ivy, has cerebral palsy. Now the baby is 11 months old, barely moves, spends every day in bed, and survives with the help of a brace.
Her condition was caused by brain damage caused by complications during her hospitalization for a urinary tract infection.
“The doctors said during the examination that the brain damage was so severe that it was almost irreversible. They just ruled out brain death because he had some mild movements. And there was no prediction of any improvement,” Emerson explained.
Times have been tough for the girl’s parents, who, with the help of their carers, are doing everything they can to provide the best for Ivy.
But the positive reviews about the gift of the car keep coming. In May, a year since the videos went viral, their numbers multiplied.
At the time, Ivey was in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU), one of many routine admissions in her short life.
“All the comments are based on the greatest joy of that moment, not our life. It’s really hard to read the comments and understand what we’re going through today,” Emerson said on TikTok.
millions of views
The couple said Ivey’s arrival was unplanned but well-timed because they were in good financial shape.
Carey is a salesman. Emerson sang in bars and nightclubs in the West Santa Barbara area of the interior St. Paul state where they lived.
They said they were overjoyed when they got the news of their pregnancy. The couple made videos on the internet, but the posts didn’t get many views.
During this period, the two were living in a good financial stage and began to talk frequently about their desire to buy a car.
“Kerry knew I was already looking for a vehicle, but I didn’t say so when I was able to close the deal,” Emerson said.
Within days, the video had surpassed 10 million views on TikTok alone; it has now amassed more than 12.5 million. And that doesn’t include success on other platforms.
They even took part in a TV show to talk about the moment.
The couple decided to use their online popularity to invest more in video production, and they’ve shared a variety of everyday situations since then.
What’s wrong with Ivy?
Ivey’s parents said the baby had no health problems until he was two months old.
She needed to be admitted to hospital for a urinary tract infection at the time, but it didn’t appear to be serious. But the outlook has deteriorated.
Her parents assured her that she had 3 cardiopulmonary arrests in about 40 days, one of which resulted in a brain injury that nearly took her life and left severe sequelae.
To take care of their daughter with cerebral palsy, the couple had to completely change their lives.
She no longer works, and he also leaves the stage to become a driver and apply for the car they bought last year.
“I started traveling on the app because the hours were more flexible so I could care for Ivy more conveniently,” Emerson explained.
Ivey gets all the medical care she needs at home, paid for by her health plan.
Their parents also depend on close relatives for financial support.
“We pay for his health plan, and as a driver, I struggle to get basic food and rent. For other expenses, like medicine and other household bills, we get help from relatives,” the father explained.
“We even run sweepstakes to raise money,” Kerry added.
married life today
The couple is still active on social media. In it, they talk about their daughter’s story and even make some money — a small amount, they say — from the videos they post on TikTok.
They claim they don’t regret sharing the surprise video last year.
But when other profiles on the social network re-share the post, they will be reminded of that happy moment, which will inevitably be accompanied by new congratulations from people who are unaware of the difficulties they are currently facing.
“As long as it reminds you of what happened before all this happened, before she got sick, it still hurts. It was horrible to see the comments on that car video,” said Emerson, who is responsible for sharing stories about the family on social media. video.
Kerry said he took the positive feedback and they still get a little better.
“I can’t sink in, I need to face it and understand that now is the time to be strong and take care of her. But of course it hurts, it hurts,” he said.
Amid the difficulties, the couple hugged each other, hoping to get some treatment to help their daughter recover.
“Doctors say his damage is almost irreversible. Some treatments are currently being developed with little chance of success but may offer some possibilities for the future, such as stem cell therapy,” Emerson said.
These treatments for cases of cerebral palsy like girls are still being researched.
To alleviate these problems, the couple tried to lighten the burdens of everyday life. One way is to celebrate your daughter’s “birthday month.”
The final celebration featured the series “Chaves”, the Mexican show “El Chavo del 8” widely known in Brazil, with Ivy in costume.
They say it’s a way to relax, even if your daughter doesn’t respond to stimulation.
While in intensive care, Carey said she and her husband are learning to cope with a new phase of life, despite many difficult moments.
“Today I was going out and saw some kids playing in the street. It hurt, you know? I thought: will I go through something like this with my daughter one day?
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BBC-NEWS-SRC: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/c843x4wm04mo, import date: 2023-08-02 22:30:06