A Cuban man living with HIV, who was hospitalized for twenty days, returned home to find that his partner had sold all his belongings, leaving him with absolutely nothing. The story of Julito, shared on Facebook by content creator Yosdiel Gattorno, sparked a wave of solidarity among neighbors in the community and Cubans abroad.
Gattorno, known for posting comedic videos on social media, decided to use his platform for something different: to raise awareness about his neighbor's situation and to call on the community to help him.
"Julito suffers from HIV. You all know that when suffering from HIV, the immune defenses tend to weaken. Recently, he had a relapse that kept him in the hospital for 20 days," Gattorno explained in a first video.
During that hospitalization, Julito lost twenty pounds. When he returned home, he found it empty.
"When he was hospitalized, after he returned home, his husband sold everything he had in the house. So right now he has nothing," Gattorno recounted.
The call was direct and straightforward: "We want the people from the area, from the neighborhood, to help him with whatever they can... a cup, a spoon, anything you have extra at home, he doesn't have it and needs it."
The community's response was immediate. In a follow-up video, Gattorno showed Julito surrounded by donations received from neighborhood residents.
"Gattorno said in front of the camera, 'Hey, look over here so they can see it's not a lie. The people from the neighborhood, everyone came together, we made a donation.'"
A third video expanded the call to Cubans abroad, providing phone numbers to send money through an intermediary identified as Rey B, who pledged to send screenshots of the received deposits as a guarantee.
Gattorno also made public his own number and that of another person to coordinate the donations. Julito's brother also set up a contact number.
"Many people are commenting and messaging me; I can't reply to everyone," noted Gattorno, highlighting the reach of the campaign.
Cuban patients with HIV have reported a chronic shortage of antiretrovirals since at least 2019 in Cuba, with interruptions in treatment that endanger their lives. In May 2024, new complaints described the situation as very sad.
According to official Cuban data from November 2025, more than 35,373 people are living with HIV on the island, with approximately 1,708 new diagnoses each year.
In the face of the collapse of the public health system, social media—especially Facebook—has become the main channel for community solidarity in Cuba, with dozens of similar campaigns mobilizing Cubans both inside and outside the country to provide what the State does not.
"Thank you, sir. What you have done is truly remarkable," Gattorno concluded, expressing his gratitude to everyone who answered the call.
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