Press
Formerly blind toddler sees and hears mom for the first time
Formerly blind toddler sees and hears mom for the first time
MIAMI HERALD - APRIL 23, 2016
BY MONIQUE O.MADAN
mmadan@miamiherald.com
Her whole life, 2-year-old Nicolly Pereira couldn’t see or hear her mother. The deaf and blind toddler from rural Brazil knew her mother’s love mostly through touch, when her mãe hugged Nicolly or stroked her light brown hair.
But last month, Nicolly gazed into her mother’s teary eyes for the first time. A wide smile filled her face and she instantly pressed her forehead against mama’s, her tiny hands on her mother’s shoulders.
“The only word that can be used to describe the feeling is ‘God,’ ” Nicolly’s mother, Daiana Pereira, 26, said Saturday at Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. “My daughter is free now. She now shines more than before. She has now become a reference for people who didn’t believe in miracles.”
A caring teen died in a car crash. Now his family has revived his kindness
A caring teen died in a car crash. Now his family has revived his kindness
MIAMI HERALD - OCTOBER 27, 2016
BY LIDIA DINKOVA
Special to the Miami Herald
When Kevin Garcia saw a high-school classmate sitting by herself during lunch, he sat with her. When a hurricane was headed toward South Florida, he went to put the shutters on his grandparents’ home. And when a family friend’s 5-year-old son was trying to build a sandcastle, the teenager squatted next to the child to help.
“That’s how Kevin was. He had just a joy for people and cared about people,” said Maria Fiallo, Kevin’s mother.
Kevin died Dec. 9, 2008, in a car crash. He was 17.
To memorialize Kevin, his family created the Kevin Garcia Foundation. Since its inception, the foundation has donated countless toys, helped bring children to South Florida from abroad for life-saving and life-changing surgery, and awarded scholarships to high school students headed to college.
The five best places to see Santa Claus and donate toys in Miami
The five best places to see Santa Claus and donate toys in Miami
EL NUEVO HERALD - DECEMBER 13, 2017
BY ISABEL OLMOS
Special / The New Herald
In Miami and in South Florida there are many places to see Santa Claus and give him the letter with the wishes of the little ones. And, also, many activities of foundations and associations with which to participate to deliver new toys for children in need. We present the five best places with charm to see Santa Claus and other places where you can also donate new toys for a noble cause.
Meet Maria Fiallo of Kevin Garcia Foundation
VoyageMIA - SEPTEMBER 6, 2018
BY VoyageMIA
Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Fiallo.
Maria, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
On December 9, 2008, I lost my 17 year old son Kevin Garcia when he had a car accident. Unfortunately, Kevin was not wearing a seatbelt when he lost control of his car.