Until recently, most outings for the Vargas family were a difficult and tedious endeavor.
Emerald and Francisco Vargas, parents to four boys in San Antonio, Texas, have spent years navigating life with Duchenne muscular dystrophy – a rare neuromuscular disorder affecting three of their sons: Christopher (14), Julian (12), and Geovanni (9). The boys also have a three-year-old brother, Nicolas, who does not live with Duchenne. As the three oldest boys struggle with losing muscle function and the ability to walk, their world has remained limited. Now, with more accessible travel, the entire family, including all four kids, can leave the home as one unit.
“The only place my boys can go is to school because their bus has a lift for wheelchairs,” Emerald says. “Other than that, we miss out on all family gatherings or activities, including Christmas this past year since we can’t lift them anymore.”
That all changed in the winter of 2025 when the Vargas family was accepted into Jett Foundation’s Accessible Vehicle Fund program. The Accessible Vehicle Fund branch of the Jett Giving Fund helps families raise funds for an accessible vehicle before setting up purchase and delivery for the family.
Close friends, donors, and supporters in the Duchenne community rallied to help fundraise for the Vargas family. Finally, the family raised their goal, and their new accessible van has arrived.
On Saturday May 24th, the family celebrated the welcomed change alongside family and Jett Foundation staff. Christopher, Julian, and Geovanni were smothered with love and sprinkled with confetti as they entered their van for the first time.
“It was beyond delightful to watch the Vargas boys and their family enter their van for the first time,” shares Jett’s Social Worker, Jessica Campbell, who attended the celebration. “It was certainly a tear-jerker to hear Christopher shout, ‘I can finally take my power chair!’ after the van rolled in.”
For the Vargas family, this van isn’t just a vehicle… It is a return to living, fewer missed medical visits, more quality time as a family, and the chance for the boys to experience life beyond their home. Emerald shares, “We look forward to being able to go to family functions, Christmas, traveling, and making more memories with our boys.”
Jett Foundation is honored to be a part of the Vargas family’s journey and proud to offer support to families like theirs through the Jett Giving Fund.
The Accessible Vehicle Fund is a branch of Jett Foundation’s Jett Giving Fund program and helped transform the lives of countless families across the country since its inaugural cycle in 2017, gifting over $5.5 million worth of accessible vehicles, small medical equipment, and emergency assistance thanks to the generous support of individual donors, local communities, and major sponsors including Cure Dale’s Duchenne, The Flatley Foundation, Sarepta Therapeutics, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Finn’s Friends, ITF Therapeutics, Kindness Over Muscular Dystrophy, The Killian Family, Michael’s Cause, Robert E. & Marie Orr Smith Foundation, and Ryan’s Quest.
You can assist families impacted by Duchenne through the Accessible Vehicle Fund, Emergency Fund, and Equipment Assistance Fund by donating today or reaching out to Maura Carroll, Director of Development, at [email protected] to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. If you or someone you know is in need of support or would like more information on our Jett Giving Fund, please visit www.jettfoundation.org/giving-fund.
