Lucerito's miracle: The girl will keep her piano as raffle continues to fund her recovery

Lucerito will keep the piano she nearly had to raffle off to pay for surgery. A wave of public solidarity, along with an anonymous benefactor, changed the course of the story for the 14-year-old pianist from San Lorenzo.

After the case was published, an anonymous donor visited the family and asked Lucerito's father, Sever Del Puerto, to stop the piano raffle. The donor promised to provide other prizes so the instrument could remain with the girl and be replaced in the draw.

Lucero Cristal is awaiting treatment for pectus excavatum, an uncommon genetic malformation in which the breastbone grows inward. Another donor contacted the organizers to determine how much money remained outstanding and paid the sanatorium's balance. The high-complexity operation, which will remove chest bars implanted three years ago, was then confirmed for the first half of September.

The surgeon who will perform the procedure also offered a 50% reduction in professional fees. With the hospital stay and basic surgery covered, the family redirected the proceeds from the “Todos por Lucerito” solidarity raffle toward postoperative expenses, including therapy days, follow-up tests, medicines, physiotherapy and equine therapy.