In one of the darker times of his life, Eli Carrasco Ponce did not think of himself and his terminal diagnosis.

The 39-year-old, who was going to turn 40 on Dec. 4, thought of others and how he would never want them to suffer the way he did over half of his life.

Ponce’s mother, Nettie Chopra, shared his story with the Fort Stockton Pioneer and why he decided to donate his body for research after his passing from Wilson’s Disease on Oct. 17, 2020.

When the Fort Stockton native was only 21-years-old he showed signs of the disease by bleeding profusely through his nose and other avenues.

Chopra and her family took him to numerous doctors across the area, but none could figure out was wrong. Cirrhosis of the liver soon followed and he went on disability by the age of 22. At the very age he was given two months to live due to the condition of his liver.

Ponce proved the doctors wrong by a long shot in years to come, but the diseases’ symptoms soon had Ponce having consistent stays at the hospital over the next 17 years.

“He would stay weeks, months at the hospital,” Chopra said. “He was such a rare case. The doctors never forgot about him. It was a difficult case for the doctors. At that time, they said there could have been no way there was alcohol. He was so young when he got it. They couldn’t understand why.”

In June of 2020 after 18 years of suffering from disease, he was finally diagnosed with Wilson’s Disease in June of 2020.

But the diagnosis came too late.

The time window had passed to get a liver transplant to save his life.

“He knew he wasn’t going to make it since it was too late for a transplant. Eli was aware of how difficult it was. He was so weak. He told me “I don’t think my body will make it for transplant,”’ Chopra said.

Just a few weeks later Ponce called his mother in the morning, informing that he wanted to donate his body for research so those with the disease did not have to suffer like him and have a chance to live a complete life.

“He called me one morning. He said, “this is very important.” He told me he wanted them to learn from him because he didn’t want anyone to go through the pain he went through over all those years,” Chopra said. “It was weeks after his diagnosis he decided to donate his body.”

Chopra added that her son had been the selfless type his whole life, thinking of others and wanting to help others.

“He knew he wasn’t going to make it so he wanted to help others,” Chopra added. “He just wanted to give back. He wanted to make people aware how important it is donation is.”