A healthy Staten Island girl got a virus. Now her parents search for a cure for their 5-year-old.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Ali Rose Modica was just like any other 4 year-old little girl. She was a student in a neighborhood pre-school and delighted to be big sister to two baby brothers.

And she had no prior medical conditions.

But in January the toddler was placed on a ventilator and had to be transported from the Jersey Shore Medical Center to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Doctors gave her a 65% chance of survival.

Ali Rose’s condition, that occurred suddenly, was due to complications that resulted from the influenza virus.

According to her parents, Dalainna and Joseph, Ali Rose was supposed to be transported by helicopter to the Philadelphia hospital, but since it was snowing she had to be driven. Precious time was lost.

Ali Rose suffered cardiac arrest upon arrival — and this was the day that would change everything for the Modica family.

After being unconscious and on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine, Ali Rose’s body suffered — especially her kidneys, lungs and her heart.

Yet she defied the odds and her organs are now functioning at 100%.

The trauma to her body left her with hypoxic brain injury due to the cardiac arrest, which affected her motor skills , her functions, and her speech.

Ali’s parents, former Richmond residents who now live in Old Bridge, N.J., saved their daughter’s cord blood from birth.

At the present time they are in search of health care professionals and further information about stem cell research for non-traumatic brain injuries.

HOW OTHERS CAN HELP

The Modicas are hopeful medical professionals — whose specialty lies in stem cell studies in the area of hypoxic brain injury due to cardiac arrest — will come forward after hearing of their little girl’s plight.

They are also looking for any grant programs or funding that could help the cause in order that Ali Rose, now 5, gets the chance she deserves so that she can speak, walk and be independent again.

They also ask that Staten Islanders spread awareness about the condition so that their little girl and others with the same condition may be helped.

Visit the family on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/alessandramodica729?igsh=N3hrNGhkZWpucnBx&utm_source=qr

Friends of the Modica family have started a Go Fund Me for Ali. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-support-ali-rose

The Modicas report that every penny raised will continue to be used in support of Ali Rose, her therapy and her stem cell research so that she will regain her motor skills and help others in the future who have the same condition.

If anyone knows of any current research that may help or health care physicians with a specialty in that field, contact Dalainna or Joseph at dmodica29@gmail.com or phone them at 917 299-4585.