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Nolanville girl's family raising money for bucket list

What would you do if you learned your time on Earth was quickly running out? Well a Nolanville girl facing a life-threatening condition has figured out just that.

What would you do if you learned your time on Earth was quickly running out? Well a Nolanville girl facing a life-threatening condition has figured out just that.

Elaina Castillia is like many other nine-year-old girls. She loves music, her family and friends, but a worsening illness means her days here are numbered.

Determined to enjoy everything life has to offer Elaina has made a bucket list of things to do and places to see during her final days. She is now turning to the community for help to pull it off.

For Becky Villarreal, being a grandmother means playing dress up, passing down family traditions and helping coordinate weddings and school dances. All memories in the making that won’t come about.

“OK how much more,” Villarreal said. “There’s only so much a person can take.”

After adopting her granddaughter Elaina out of an abusive home, Villarreal was left to pick up the pieces.

Elaina suffered a fractured skull, shaken baby syndrome and suffers from cerebral palsy. She is also blind and in the early stages of scoliosis.

Doctors weren’t optimistic, giving Elaina one year to live. At nine-years-old she can only fight so long.

Her scoliosis is worsening and doctors said it will eventually cause Elaina to completely fold in half and pass away.

Refusing to let another moment go to waste, Elaina’s family created a bucket list of possible adventures Elaina and her family can enjoy together before time runs out. Things like visiting the Grand Canyon and a water park made it to the list.

“Because she loves water,” Villarreal said. “Everything is water.”

The family created a GoFundMe account to help raise the funds for Elaina’s final adventures. They are now calling on the community and a higher power to see her through.

“The man upstairs knows if it’s time for her to go,” Villarreal said. “I just hope he takes, just takes some time, just go slow that’s all, just go slow.”

Villarreal also said the trips wouldn’t just benefit Elaina, but they would also allow the rest of the family to make a lot of memories together that they can cherish forever.

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