Our connection with PCH was made 17 years ago when EVP Co-Founder Todd Zuccone and his wife Jennifer Zuccone spent 10 days in the hospital with their first-born son Jacob Zuccone. New parents Todd and Jenn went from being elated from the birth of their son to pure terror when their newborn was abruptly taken from their arms and life flighted to PCH. 

Jacob was born with a heart condition that was not diagnosed prior to his birth and needed immediate surgery to save his life. The doctors at PCH performed a successful heart surgery before Jacob was less than one day old. After Jacob’s surgery he was moved to the PCH NICU where Todd and Jenn waited to be reunited with their newborn. After 10 days of post-surgery tests, care and love, Jacob was
released from PCH and has made a full recovery from his surgery. 

“Reflecting on the time my wife and I spent in PCH I have very mixed emotions. This was one of the scariest and most difficult times of my life. I was completely powerless and feared the unthinkable. If it wasn’t for the amazing team at PCH, my son may not be alive today. I am extremely grateful for what they did for my son and what they do for thousands of other children / families every day. Their unrivaled care and dedication to the children is why we have partnered with them to help raise money for their hospital. It’s a blessing to have my son in my life and his dedication to support the place that helped to save his life." – Todd Zuccone

“While I do not remember my time at PCH, it was their extraordinary care and knowledgeable doctors that saved my life. They truly are the ones I must thank for being here today. The heart surgery I received at PCH allowed me to succeed in all aspects of my life and has allowed me to do all the fun activities I do today, like off-road racing. Working with PCH is not something new for me. For my 5th birthday, instead of receiving gifts from friends and family, I asked for donations to give to the PCH organization. At a young age, I realized what a blessing PCH was to me, and I wanted to give back to the organization that helped me and continues to help kids every day. I am proud to be partnering with PCH again to raise awareness and money for their cause and help other children.” – Jacob Zuccone

JACOB’S 2022 FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN