KLFY News 10 teamed up with Bob Giles and Giles Automotive to give back to the community.

We go out into the community to find a Good Samaritan and then, we give that person $500 in cash and challenge them to “Pay It Forward” by giving that money away to someone truly deserving.

This week is a special Veterans Day edition of Pay It Forward.

Julie Darce introduced us to a husband and wife team, both serve in the army. And both are fighting a very personal battle.

“I knew right away, I’m a little bit older, first pregnancy and I felt different. I found out May 5^th,” Johnanna Soto told KLFY.

Johnanna and Isaac Soto are expecting their first child, a little later in life, but that’s because they spent the last decade serving our country.

Isaac is a medic and served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Johnanna served a tour in Iraq.

After serving our country overseas, this Ville Platte native is back home to fight a much more personal battle.

“I found out something was wrong around 20 something weeks I believe. They weren’t quite sure what, they just knew something was wrong with her heart,” she explained.

Their unborn baby Isabella was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect known as transposition of the great arteries or TGA.

“Her great blood vessels that go to her heart or arteries, are switched. The arteries that are supposed to go to her lungs are now going to her heart, so they’ll have to do a surgery,” Isaac explained.

Baby Isabella also has a hole in her septum that will also require surgery. Doctors are sending them to Boston Children’s Hospital to be in place when baby Isabella arrives.

“We’ll live somewhere, we’re not sure where, for at least until she’s born. And then afterwards, and how ever long the recovery is,” Johnanna said.

The Soto’s do have medical insurance but, they’re expecting many out of pocket expenses as they have to pack up and move to Boston. They will live there for up to two months while baby Isabella is recovering.

That’s where Kathy Ortego and Giles Automotive stepped in.

“There’s so many things that come up that you don’t know that you’re gonna need money for, so many little things. And I know you’re not prepared for that and you sometimes almost don’t want to hear that. I understand that. That’s your training. That’s the way you’re built. But let people help you. We’re just here to help you and with that I want to pay it forward,” Kathy Ortego said.

Johnanna: “Oh my gosh, wow!”

Isaac: “Wow Wow Okay!”

Julie: “That’s 500 dollars cash from Mr. Bob Giles of Giles Automotive, he heard of your story and want to help you with some of your moving expenses.”

Isaac: “Awesome. Yes, thank you!”

Johnanna: “Thank you so much!”

Julie: “You’re welcome.”

If you’d like to follow the Soto’s story, visit their Facebook page, Operation Baby Isabella.