When Paty Montesinos noticed her toddler’s eye drifting and his depth perception faltering, she assumed, like many parents might, that it was something simple. A lazy eye, perhaps a need for glasses. After all, her husband had worn an eye patch as a child, and vision challenges ran in the family. But what started as a minor concern soon spiraled into a far more serious diagnosis: Coats’ Disease.
At just 20 months old, Marcello was diagnosed after a series of delays caused by the COVID pandemic. A sharp-eyed optometrist at Kaiser Santa Clara spent nearly an hour examining him before referring the family to a pediatric ophthalmologist. Soon after, Marcello was put under anesthesia so doctors could confirm what they suspected. The news was both devastating and urgent. Fluid was leaking into Marcello’s retina, and crystal deposits were already forming. Immediate laser treatment followed. Whether Marcello would retain vision in that eye was uncertain.
As Paty and her family adjusted to a routine of surgeries, patching, and follow-ups, she faced a second challenge: helping Marcello adapt emotionally to wearing an eye patch. “I tried everything,” she recalls. Pirate games, family support, even enlisting his cousins. But what ultimately worked was a bedtime book. Not finding the right one, Paty created her own.
Using blank board books, duct tape, Google images, and PowerPoint, Paty crafted a custom story for her son. It was a treasure hunt featuring stuffed animals from Marcello’s own room. From the first reading, something clicked. Marcello wanted to wear his patch. He saw himself as the hero of the story, and suddenly, the patch wasn’t a problem. It was magical.
That book became The Pirate and His Magical Eye Patch, a bilingual board book designed for children ages 0 to 3. When Paty saw how powerfully it resonated with her son, and later with his preschool classmates, she knew other families might need the same tool. Encouraged by friends, she self-published the book, partnering with illustrator Mariana Diaz, whose warm, detailed drawings captured Marcello’s world perfectly.
As Marcello grew, so did his confidence and his needs. Paty responded with I Love My Magical Eye Patch, a follow-up book for slightly older children navigating more complex questions and social situations. This time, she introduced a new character named Valentina, inspired by the girls in Marcello’s class who admired his patch and wanted one of their own. The story reflected Marcello’s evolving experience and offered real-life patching tips, emotional support, and bilingual narration for both children and caregivers.
Paty’s books are more than stories. They’re lifelines. They offer representation for bilingual families navigating vision loss and introduce the patch not as a medical device, but a symbol of strength. Her stories turn confusion into courage, helping children feel proud of their journey and giving parents language to explain the process with care and clarity.
Marcello, now five, continues to patch three hours a day and wears glasses. His vision, once only at 25 percent in the affected eye, is now nearly equal to his stronger eye. Paty credits that progress to early treatment, relentless dedication, and Marcello’s own resilience. “Even though I wrote the books,” she says, “we still face new challenges, just like any family. But now we have the tools.”
In addition to raising awareness through her books, Paty supports the Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation and donates a portion of her proceeds to help fund their research. She also partners with local organizations like Lighthouse for the Blind and WE C Hope, sharing books at events and giving talks to connect with other families navigating childhood vision loss.
What began as a single board book made at home has grown into something much larger. From reading to his classmates to speaking at fundraising events, Paty and Marcello have helped others feel seen and supported. “Your child’s vision story matters,” she says. “And it deserves to be seen.”
