Baird Middle School unites to support beloved student ‘Swaggy’ who needs liver transplant

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — The Fresno eighth grader known to everyone at Baird Middle School as “Swaggy” is in desperate need of a liver transplant.

But friends and teachers want Swaggy to know he’s not in this fight alone.

Thirteen-year-old James Gonzalez is a special needs student with a big following on the Baird campus.

Teacher Teresa Fleming is also one of his teachers. “That kid has something really great and he does it really well. That’s why we named him Swaggy the first day I met him in seventh grade. “I named it,” Fleming said.

Fleming, who goes by the name “Miss T” in class, says Swaggy is special.

“He’s just full of energy. He’s full of life. He’s loving. He’s a big personality. He’s definitely a gamer,” Fleming said.

Gonzalez hasn’t been feeling well in recent weeks.Last week, he was taken by ambulance to Stanford Children’s Hospital.

He is suffering from acute liver failure. Doctors say he will need a liver transplant.

“Given how young he is, he’s now considered high on the list. They’re saying he could potentially get a donor within a month,” Fleming said.

Baird teachers immediately responded. They created T-shirts to let the Gonzalez family know about Team His Swaggy. No one fights alone.

They are selling shirts and wristbands to raise money for the family. “It’s hard for our family because they’re not dealing with this on their own,” Fleming said.

Mr. T said the Gonzalez family is juggling their schedules to be with James during his hospitalization. His father works to put food on the table for his family of five.

Baird teachers are hoping Team Swaggy can raise a significant amount of money to ease the burden on families.

The Gonzalez family established a partnership with the Pediatric Organ Transplant Association to help with costs.

If you would like to donate, please click the link below. https://cota.org/cotaforjamesswaggy/