Dunkin' Donuts fundraiser helps boy who needs a heart transplant

WEST HAVEN -  The community turned out in droves at two local Dunkin’ Donuts shops over Valentine’s Day weekend to help teenage resident Rajay Linton who is slated to undergo heart transplant surgery, organizers said in a release.

"Collectively, the community purchased 2,519 donuts from two D’Andrea Network Dunkin’ Donuts franchises at 305 Captain Thomas Blvd. and 985 Orange Ave. For every donut purchased, the family-owned business donated $1 to Linton’s Go Fund Me campaign," the release said.

 

The company has 13 Dunkin’ Donuts stores, located in Killingworth, Clinton, Guilford, West Haven, Orange and Milford.

"Blossom Linton-King, Linton’s aunt who has recently become his legal guardian, said many of her friends and those who know the teen from Bailey Middle School in West Haven came out on Friday, Feb. 13 and Sat. Feb. 14 to purchase donuts to support the teen," the release said.

Nicole Ball, franchisee of D’Andrea Network, said, also in the release, that her stores sold more than 100 percent more doughnuts this year over one of the traditionally busiest sale days of the year.

This was a "direct reflection of the community’s support for Linton," she said in the release.

"Maria Rivera, manager of the store on Captain Thomas Boulevard said customers were purchasing donuts by the dozen for Linton and leaving them on the tables in the dining area for other guests to eat for free," and one woman "pre-ordered 25 dozen the night before the promotion," the release said.

Also, according to Ball, Linton-King reports she and her family are now traveling to New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children Hospital’s about once a week in preparation for the 14-year-

old’s heart transplant, which can happen any day.

"Linton-King said the family has to be ready to bring him to the hospital within three hours of receiving a call that a heart has arrived for transplant," the release said.

Linton-King, an employee of Yale-New Haven Hospital, has health insurance for Linton but the funds raised by the D’Andrea Network stores and the Go Fund Me campaign will help offset the medical bills, her travel to New York and the expected three-to-four-month recovery period following surgery, the release said.

"Words can not express" her gratitude for the donations for Rajay, Linton King said in the release..

Linton, who was born with congenital heart disease in Jamaica, was raised by his father and grandparents after his mother left him in the hospital as a toddler, the release said. He came to live in West Haven in 2012 after tragically losing all three of his caregivers in Jamaica – Linton-King’s mother, father and brother all passed away in span of three years.

 

In photo by DíAndrea Network: l to r, top: Aiesha Padilla, Nicole Ball, Chesmaries Rodriguez, Jennifer , Juan Patino, Blossom Linton-King, Maria River and Ernie Cruz.
L to r, bottom: Rajay Linton, Ken Ellis and Cyril King, as Rajay Linton says thanks to the Andrea Network Dunkin' Donuts for their recent donation of $2,519 to support his upcoming heart transplant surgery.