Paintball Raises Funds for Boy's Heart Surgery

HOUSTON - William Serrato loves to play like any other three-year-old, but the little guy has some limits that many other children do not face.

"He has trouble breathing sometimes and he takes his breaks whenever he's tired," said William's father, Joe Serrato.

That is because the young boy was born with multiple heart defects. He has already had surgery twice and faces a third in a couple of weeks.

"I treat him like there's nothing wrong with him. I really do. If I were to treat him any different, it wouldn't be fair to him," said Joe Serrato.

On Sunday, friends of the Serrato's held a fundraiser for the family. The event in Montgomery County included a paintball tournament to help cover the cost of William's upcoming surgery.

"It makes me feel, makes me feel awesome. Makes me feel wonderful," said William's mother, Amy Serrato.

While the Serrato family has insurance, their out-of-pocket medical expenses for William already total $50,000.

The idea to help out the League City family came from their gym, Clearlake Crossfit.

"We've been very blessed in our life and in our business, so we very much wanted to reach out and see how we could help," said Jennifer Kaufman from Clearlake Crossfit.

William's surgery is scheduled for March 16 at Texas Children's Hospital. It should make his life a whole lot better, but it won't make it completely normal.

"The next surgery guarantees him ideally 15 to 30 years and then we're looking at a transplant."

William's mother says that thirty years ago, children with William's heart defects did not live through childhood. But with the help of medical advances and generous friends, William has a decent chance to beat some very big odds.

"It shows me that God has really blessed us. Shows us, you know, that we're special and that William's special," said his father Joe.