Can you help me repay this man?

Back in 1993, I was a brand new college grad with a perfect plan: I would work in a high-paying sales job, save a lot of money, and then become a teacher when I turned 30. I’d heard many of my former teachers lament about being underpaid. Since I didn’t want to be a teacher who struggled to make ends meet (and since my future husband wasn’t a sugar daddy), I decided I had come up with a pretty reasonable plan.

But it didn’t work out with the timeline I’d had in mind.

I did get a good paying job right out of college. I was a sales trainee in a program that required me to learn all of the entry level positions before graduating to my desk in the office. I hauled pipe, drove a fork lift, and witnessed many an-OSHA violation. And I lasted for 30 days. I turned in my corporate wings and grabbed the classified ads. (Remember those? That was in the days before the Internet, for all of you young ‘uns out there.) I found the perfect job for me: English teacher (my favorite subject) and soccer coach (my favorite sport, and the one that I played in college). It was serendipity!

There was just one small problem. I wasn’t certified.

I’d taken education courses in college, knowing that I wanted to someday be a teacher, but I stopped short of completing certification requirements since I knew I’d be going into a non-education job first. I was hoping that someone would see my passion for teaching and would give me a chance.

That person who gave me a chance was Fred Garza.

I interviewed with Mr. Garza in Harlandale ISD’s human resources office. I wore my best suit in order to look like a mature 22-year-old who could be trusted to mold the lives of teenagers. I answered his questions to the best of my abilities and hoped that my great ideas for the classroom did not scare him off. When he looked at my transcripts and the fact that I was not certified, I held my breath and expected the worst.

Instead, he gave me the green light to interview at Harlandale High School! He also took the time to explain how to get certified through a post-baccalaureate program – and the deadline I needed to do that by.

I owe him for seeing something in me and giving me a shot at my dream job, albeit eight years earlier than planned.

My teaching job laid the foundation for everything I do today, and I’m so grateful to Fred for blessing me with this.

I’d like to say that we both lived happily ever after, but that is not the case for Fred. In April, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. His doctor prescribed a two-drug regiment to help him fight the disease. Fred’s insurance carrier, Humana, denied the second drug – even though Humana has approved the drug for another one of the doctor’s patients. Humana has denied his request three times, and time is running out.

If you need more information about the situation and how/why Humana denies the life-saving drug, click here to read and/or watch the news story that ran on our local ABC affiliate, KSAT-12.

If you know a decision-maker at Humana, please ask them to reverse their denial of the drug that he needs to live. You’ll be saving Fred – and possibly many others who might have life-saving medications denied to them.

If you don’t know a decision-maker at Humana, please post this in all of your social media channels to help get the word out.

Please help me re-pay Fred’s kindness by giving him life.

Update: 10/2/15

It truly is a blessed day! I spoke with Fred Garza today. A federal appeals organization has over-ridden Humana! The second drug treatment should start next week!!! Thank you so much, everyone, for sharing and praying!