06/04/2026
Come Support Esmeralda💜 Be sure register by June 14th and please share💜any questions call (559)623-2328
This month, we gather for Esmeralda.
Esmeralda Ruiz Gutierrez has spent more than two decades showing the world what faith, resilience, and love look like in real life.
In 2004, she was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis. By 2007, her kidneys had failed
completely, and she began dialysis — facing every day with courage she didn’t have to perform, because it was simply who she was.
In 2008, her sister Natalie was found to be a perfect match and donated her kidney — an extraordinary act of love that gave Esmeralda 17 more years of life, memories, and purpose.
Through it all, Esmeralda never stopped giving back. As a Mortgage Loan Officer, she has helped countless families open the door to homeownership — showing up for her clients with compassion, care, and the kind of dedication that makes people call her family.
Sadly, lupus has once again taken her kidney function. Esmeralda is back on dialysis, making frequent trips to UCLA Medical Center, carrying the emotional, physical, and financial weight of this journey with quiet strength.
And once again — love has stepped forward. Her younger sister Vanessa has offered to donate her kidney, giving Esmeralda another chance at life.
This is her story. And on Tuesday, June 16, HOW Visalia is honored to show up for her.
A screen can write a check. A room can change a life.
The Woodlands | 6 PM RSVP at MySOSEvent.com (closes Sunday, June 14)
https://mysosevent.com/events/how-visalia-dinner-for-esmerelda-ruiz-june-16