Charlize Lopez’s Comeback: Conquering Wilson Disease, a Liver Transplant, and Senior Year of High School

By: Ruelle Champion

At 16, Charlize Lopez kept busy. As a Key West High School student, she played softball and golf, performed in the theatre troupe, and served as a leader in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC).

“She’s one of those kids whose life is just non-stop,” said Rick Lopez, Charlize’s father.

But everything in Charlize’s life changed on the first night of a JROTC training academy in St. Petersburg, Florida. In June 2025, she was rushed to an area hospital with yellow skin and eyes. Her parents were nearly halfway to St. Petersburg from Key West to be with her when they got another call that Charlize was being airlifted to Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

She was diagnosed with Wilson Disease, a rare genetic condition that causes copper to build up in the body, particularly in the liver, and can develop into life-threatening organ failure.

“Most of the time, patients don’t know there are any symptoms until they’ve had Wilson Disease for many years,” said Jessica Hochberg, MD, a pediatric transplant hepatologist at Miami Transplant Institute (MTI), an affiliation between Jackson Health System and UHealth – University of Miami Health System.

Charlize needed a liver transplant immediately and was listed under the care of Dr. Hochberg and the pediatric liver team at MTI.

“It can be a shock when patients are diagnosed; especially someone like Charlize who’s so active and full of life,” Dr. Hochberg said.

Less than a week after arriving at Holtz Children’s, on June 17, a match was found. Akin Tekin, MD, a liver transplant surgeon at MTI, took on her case. Within a few hours, Charlize’s new liver started working. She was discharged and made the drive back home eight days later.

“It was like a miracle,” said Winnie Lopez, Charlize’s mother. “She rang the bell and everything seemed perfect.”

But a day later, Charlize’s recovery got complicated. She got a viral infection while on anti-rejection medications, lost control of her legs at one point, and was readmitted to Holtz Children’s multiple times.

“She lost a lot of weight in just nine days,” Winnie said. “She looked so sick and weak but the love from the nurses and doctors was heartwarming.”

After a few months, Charlize recovered. She was homeschooled for her junior year of high school, began physical therapy to rebuild her strength, and reunited with some of her friends. To her parent’s surprise, she also ran two 5Ks.

“It was like she was reborn,” Rick said.

Charlize begged Dr. Hochberg and the team to give her the green light to return to Key West High for her senior year. Since then, she’s eased back into her everyday life and even landed the lead role in her high school’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical.

“I want to still be myself and have a college experience,” Charlize said.

The 17-year-old has her eyes set on days that include her passions—singing, acting, and playing golf.

Through high school graduation and every milestone to come, Rick and Winnie will make sure that Charlize accomplishes anything she sets her mind on.

“She’s just going to be a better, stronger person because of this,” Winnie said.

“If she can overcome this, she can do whatever she wants in life,” Rick added.