Support Lorenzo for Heart Transplant & Recovery

Hello, on behalf of Lorenzo Beronilla, we would like to share his story with you. We hope that this will touch the bottom of your heart as you learn about his journey that led to needing a heart transplant.

Lorenzo is an actor, as well as cookbook author, with a diverse resume. You may have seen him in movies—most recently Disney’s Haunted Mansion; TV—Top Chef Amateurs winner; commercials—ESPN, Jollibee; industrials—your company’s training videos; or even print ads—Vita Coco, Sheetz. Four years ago, he was introduced to the world via an internet cooking show on YouTube, Epicurious 4 Levels. This brought him the most recognition and he has since been a regular on the show, along with their Pro Chef vs Home Cook series. He had high hopes for the show and wished for its success. The first video went viral and his wish came true. Today, Lorenzo has another wish . . .

In early December 2023, Lorenzo came home from a business trip with difficulty breathing. He heard that it could have been an allergic reaction to pollen, or even something he picked up from the plane. At his first doctor’s visit in January 2024, he had asthmatic symptoms and was treated with the corresponding medicine. This helped him enough to continue his acting gigs, thinking the meds were actually working. However, his breathing issue persisted, and so did his inability to speak without coughing. Upon returning from another work trip in February, his condition worsened—his belly was extremely bloated and his legs were swollen, a weight gain of at least 10 pounds.

On February 27th, Lorenzo’s follow-up visit with his doctor turned into an urgent need to be admitted to the hospital. This was when his heart issue was brought to light. He learned that he had a weak heart that was not pumping properly. His initial breathing problem was due to his heart pumping faster than normal in order to get oxygen to the rest of his body. The fluid retention from his abdomen to his feet were both signs of heart failure. After 3 nauseating days of trying to get the right combination of medicine to stabilize his body, he did not improve. He was then transferred to a hospital that specializes in cardiothoracic problems. Following many days of endless testing and IVs, the medicine that he received was finally working, he had lost 30 pounds of water weight, and the rest of his bodily functions were back to normal. His IVs were removed with the hope that oral medication would be enough to sustain him. He had been in the hospital for 13 days so he was looking forward to being discharged. To his dismay, he was told that he would not be going home anytime soon.

Lorenzo received devastating news on March 10th when he was informed that he needed a heart transplant. Although he knew this was a possibility, he was still shocked to hear those words. On the following day, it was decided that the best way to proceed was to have an intra-aortic balloon pump procedure in order to help support his weak heart. The surgery was performed the very next day. Having this added device would make him a better transplant candidate, which gave him hope and lifted his spirits.

On March 13, 2024, Lorenzo was placed on the national transplant waitlist. His official diagnosis was heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. This happens when the lower chamber of the heart does not pump blood out to the body as well as it should, also known as systolic heart failure. Currently he is connected to a heart pump machine and IVs. He will continue his journey of hope in a New York metropolitan hospital, his home for the unforeseeable future.

Lorenzo’s wish is to find the perfect match for a new heart, to have a successful surgery, to overcome his battle with recovery, AND to live a long life! We are asking for donations to help Lorenzo with any financial hardships that he will encounter as a result of his damaged heart. The smallest contribution can make the biggest difference. Thank you for taking the time to read his story. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he has a long road ahead of him.

Deanna Perlmutmutter-Tarulli, Organizer

Jamaal Green, Leader

Team members

Ann Lucente

Dana Pierce

Lucrecia Rodriguez

Nancy Rubel