UFC bantamweight Marlon Vera opens GoFundMe page to help daughter with rare disorder

UFC bantamweight Marlon Vera (7-3-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC) is asking for public help to assist his daughter with a rare disorder that prevents her from smiling.

The 23-year-old Ecuadorian recently launched a GoFundMe page to help fund the surgery Vera’s daughter, Ana Paula, needs to treat the rare condition known as Moebius syndrome.

The current goal for the campaign is $50,000.

Vera previously spoke about his daughter’s condition following a UFC Fight Night 73 win over Roman Salazar, admitting the surgery provides him with daily motivation in his fighting career.

“She needs surgery, so I will work hard to pay (for it),” Vera said. “I’m training every single day of my life. I make a lot of sacrifices, but I’m here for that. I put on a show for the fans. The fans, they are paying for something. This is for me, for my family, and for all the Ecuadorians who believe in me.”

“Chito” Vera came to the UFC as part of “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America,” where he earned a knockout win over Enrique Briones to earn his way into the semifinals of the season’s bantamweight tournament. A skin infection then forced Vera out of the show, though he still received an invitation to compete in the octagon and has appeared three times since.

Moebius syndrome is a neurological disorder. With Vera’s daughter, the disorder has made it so that she cannot control her facial expressions or eye movement.

Vera hopes to get the surgery for his daughter as quickly as possible.

“That’s the dream,” Vera said. “We want to see our daughter smiling, so we will work hard for this.”

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