Join Daryl at the 5th Annual Aristrong Car Show & Kickball Tournament in Colton on 11/4

The #Aristrong Foundation was founded by Chris and Nikki Villalobos at the request of their daughter, Arianna “Ari” Villalobos, who passed away from brain cancer on October 1st, 2019. Ari was a healthy young lady who had just begun her freshman year at Grand Terrace High School when she started developing headaches and blurry vision. It was at her Legends club soccer game that Ari would come off the field for a headache and never again step back on the field. Ari was taken to Loma Linda ER the next day where a C.T. Scan would reveal every parents worst nightmare, a 6 cm mass sitting deep in the middle of her brain. From that point on Arianna’s life and her parents lives would be turned upside down. Ari had to undergo emergency surgery to place a shunt in her brain to relieve the pressure from built up fluid. Arianna would then undergo a craniotomy a few days later at a failed attempt to remove the tumor. Doctors were unable to resect anything, just enough for a biopsy, which would later reveal the fatal diagnosis, stage 4 glioblastoma brain cancer. Ari would have to undergo another shunt surgery, chemotherapy and full brain radiation that would make her very weak and begin to lose her hair. After radiation Ari’s parents searched for clinical trials and found one called Onc 201. They were able to obtain it for her, but the tumor and it’s mutation were just too aggressive. Ari would grow weaker and weaker and eventually lose her ability to walk, and talk. She went on hospice in August 2019 and would take her last breath in October 1st 2019 in her mom and dad’s arms.

Before passing, and when she was doing well, Ari had asked her parents to promise her they would reach out to the community and help those in need. She wanted to reach out during one of the darkest hours of her life and bring light to those hurting around her. Before Ari passed, she asked her parents to donate her brain, tumor, spine, and any other viable organs to science and to those who could use them. Ari’s requests were all granted and her brain, tumor, and spine are at Stanford University where doctors have said her selfless donation will make a tremendous impact in research. Her corneas, heart valves, skin, and a few other organs were also donated. It was and is this selflessness, love, and compassion for others that defines the #Aristrong Foundation. We’re determined to uphold the mandate and mission given to us by Ari and bring hope and healing to hurting hearts.