VALENCIA COUNTY, N.M. —

Hunter Rael, an 8-year-old boy from Valencia County, has received a new heart after battling Kawasaki disease, a rare illness that causes inflammation of the blood vessels and serious heart issues.

Hunter's family received a life-changing phone call on Tuesday, informing them that a new heart was available for him.

"We were in shock. We were mixed of emotions. We were crying," Anna Moya, his mother, said.

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The news comes right around Hunter's three-year anniversary of battling Kawasaki disease. On Nov. 1, 2022, Hunter was diagnosed with the rare illness. It primarily affects young children and causes inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, but in Hunter's case, it caused serious heart issues.

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