Baby boy slated for life-saving surgery

By Ryan Kost, Globe Correspondent

The story of how Frank Matos Lopez, a 10-month-old child from the Dominican Republic, made his way to the United States for a life-saving surgery Wednesday is one of connections.

It began with a desperate plea for help in the form of dozens of donation canisters covered with his picture. His aunt, Lillian Marte of Lawrence, had put them around the city when her sister called from the Dominican Republic. The child, Lillian's sister had told her, was sick. He would die without expensive surgery that he could not get at home.

The child was suffering from pulmonary atresia, a heart defect that robs the body of the oxygen it needs.

The donation canisters caught the eye of Louis Farrah, a Lawrence attorney who couldn’t let the story go.

“I saw one of those cans,” he said. “I remember asking, ‘What’s the story with this baby?’ ”

Farrah got to work, writing to people and organizations – CNN, Oprah – for help. Children’s Hospital Boston said it could perform the procedure but could not pay for the surgery. The operation will cost about $78,000, according to the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune. The money in the cans would not be nearly enough.

But the connections continued.

The Eagle-Tribune featured the child’s story and soon Farrah was fielding a call from the Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation, an organization funded by philanthropist A. Raymond Tye that secures life-saving medical care for those who cannot afford it. Tye, 85, a Haverhill native and the former owner of United Liquors, wanted to help.

“This man has made the difference between life and death,” Farrah said.

The compliments go both ways.

“He did so much,” said Terri Carlson, the foundation director, of Farrah. “He did a lot of work trying to help this family.” Tye and the foundation, she said, were eager to do their part to help baby Frank.

“Did you see his picture? Oh, I love him!” she said of the baby, Frank. “He’s the cutest little thing.”

On Wednesday, surgeons will try to repair the child’s damaged heart.

Little Frank's mother has accompanied the boy to the United States, but his father was not able to obtain a visa.

“I thank God it’s going to work out well,” Marte said.

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