LAWRENCE — There's been all the heart tests, tearful fundraising efforts and pleas for emergency visas.
Ten-month-old Frank Matos Lopez made it safely to the United States to undergo open heart surgery. But before the Dominican infant is admitted to Boston Children's Hospital for surgery tomorrow, a local priest made sure the boy was baptized first.
"Now, he is ready for the operation," the Rev. Jorge Reyes said after anointing and baptizing "Baby Frank" in a special ceremony last night at St. Mary of the Assumption Church.
The infant, dressed in a white christening gown and tiny black wingtips, cooed and giggled throughout the ceremony. He cried as Reyes poured the cool christening water over his head. His mother and aunt also reached into the blessed water and gently rubbed the infant's head.
"He has no idea what he is doing here today but we do," Reyes said. The best gift, Reyes noted, is "the gift of faith."
Frank suffers from blue baby syndrome, a condition causing his tissues and organs to turn blue because they are not receiving enough oxygen.
The lifesaving surgery he needs is not available in the Dominican Republic, so a month ago, after Frank's condition continued to deteriorate, his aunt Lillian Marte of Lawrence put out canisters asking people to help bring the baby to the United States.
The child's plight quickly captured the attention of local attorney and funeral director Louis Farrah, who, along with his staff, worked tirelessly to bring the baby and his mother, Mareanelle Matos, here.
After The Eagle-Tribune ran a front-page story about "Baby Frank," a Braintree-based medical charity, the Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation — founded by Haverhill native Ray Tye, agreed to pay for the infant's surgery. The procedure and two-week hospital stay will cost about $78,000.
Local residents also donated $7,980 to the cause, with half sent directly to Reyes at the church.
The money will be used to pay for housing, clothing, transportation and other incidentals for Frank and his mother.
Once Frank is well, he and his mother plan to return to the Dominican Republic, where she works as a television producer. The baby's father, Francisco Lopez, a farmer, was unable to obtain a visa to travel to the United States.
Mother and son arrived here Friday night.
Last night, Marte and Farrah became Frank's godparents. In the Dominican culture, it's a true honor to be asked to be a child's godparent, Farrah said.
While Frank will return to his homeland, Farrah suspects the child "will be part of us forever."
"Everyone is talking about this little guy," he said.
