Arambula Family Christmas Story Proves Miracles Do Indeed Happen

Colleen and David’s story is one of devotion, commitment, and, most importantly, hope

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – In the season of wonder, the story behind the Arambula family illustrates how miracles can happen, and more than once, as Colleen and David Arambula now well know.

The owners of DC Roofing and DC Marine Construction Companies, Colleen and David, experienced their first miracle five years ago with the arrival of the eight-pound, 15-ounce wonder that is David, Jr., born through in vitro fertilization with the help of a surrogate in Tallahassee.

The second is about to happen with the birth of their daughter, Ella Rose, who is expected to make her grand first appearance on April 30, 2025. The surrogate who carried David Jr. is also carrying Colleen and David’s second child. The Arambulas are ecstatic at the prospect of a second child.

“We always wanted our son to have a sibling,” Colleen said.

Colleen and David’s story is one of devotion, commitment, and, most importantly, hope.

A partial hysterectomy at age 15 left Colleen unable to bear children, yet when she met David, she knew she wanted a family, and so did he. They promised each other children and made their dreams a reality through the convoluted, expensive, and often anguishing journey that can be IVF.

“There is a lot of hope and a lot of let-downs,” David said. “It’s a very long process, and it is not easy.”

Colleen and David have decided to share their story to raise awareness about IVF.

“It’s not talked about enough,” Colleen said.

There is certainly a need to know more. According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the most recent National Survey of Family Growth, approximately nine percent of married women in the age 15 to 49-year bracket have been estimated to experience some form of infertility.

Fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization provide a potential path for individuals struggling with infertility.

Determined to succeed

The Arambulas are firm believers in the power of hard work and determination, which has served them well as they have grown their other “family,” the team at DC Roofing and DC Marine Construction.

The couple treats their staff and customers the way they would like to be treated. This formula has worked well for this quintessential family business, which routinely earns glowing testimonials at trusted review sites such as Angie’s List, Houzz, and Home Advisor.

“It’s simply at a different level of professionalism than most roofing companies we see across the country,” noted Rich Noonan of Best of the Best Television, which ranked DC Roofing among the top roofing companies in the nation last year. Florida Today has also named DC Roofing as the best roofing company in the county.

DC Marine Construction, which builds docks, seawalls, boat lifts, and custom boat houses, has a similar reputation for competence and thoroughness.

With every job at DC Roofing and Marine Construction, the Arambulas are committed to success, so it’s not surprising the couple never wavered during an IVF journey that has lasted more than a decade.

“It took us over five years to have our son,” David said.

IVF requires time and dedication, not to mention considerable resources.

“We owe a lot to our customers at DC Roofing and Marine Construction because they have provided the means for us to try IVF,” Colleen said.

The process of in vitro fertilization begins with stimulating the mother’s ovaries with fertility drugs to produce multiple eggs, which are then retrieved from the mother’s body.

Using ultrasound, a doctor guides a needle to remove the eggs from the ovaries while the patient is under anesthesia. Colleen has gone through a dozen of egg retrieval procedures, each predicating a trip to the Fertility Institute of Reproductive Medicine’s offices in Daytona Beach.

“It also involves a lot of hormone medications, which can be hard on you,” she said.

In a laboratory, the retrieved eggs are combined with sperm from the father. A fertilized egg—the embryo—is then transferred into the patient’s uterus for pregnancy. For the Arambulas, IVF was further complicated by the fact that Colleen could not carry a baby to term and would have to depend on a surrogate.

Transferring the fertilized eggs into the uterus never guarantees a baby. The Arambulas and their surrogate endured several unsuccessful attempts.

“We had to go through three attempts with David and four with Ella Rose,” Colleen explained.

Several cycles of IVF are typically necessary for a pregnancy to occur. Costs for a single cycle of IVF have been estimated to range from $15,000 to more than $30,000.

Finding a surrogate was also not easy, and scams are common.

“You can become a target,” David said, admitting they lost $5,000 to what was purported to be a reputable reference.

The couple eventually connected with their surrogate through a surrogacy agency in Atlanta. Creditable agencies require potential surrogates to undergo counseling and testing to determine psychological and physical readiness to undergo the highly emotional task of bearing a child they will not raise and may never see again.

“There are not many agencies, and there is a shortage of surrogates,” Colleen said.

The Arambulas believe their children’s surrogate has been heaven-sent.

“We owe so much to her,” Colleen said. “She is one of the kindest and most down-to-earth person.”

After the couple decided to try for a second child, they had hoped for but didn’t really expect David Jr.’s surrogate to carry their baby once again. She had to deliver David Jr. through a Caesarean birth and would have to go through another C-section for Ella Rose. They were delighted when she agreed.

“We are forever indebted to her,” Colleen said. “She is our angel.”

David Junior has already met the surrogate, who is married and has two children of her own.

“We’ve become friends, and she has come down with her family to visit us,” Colleen said.

When they are old enough, David Jr. and Ella Rose will learn how much hard work their surrogate and how much love their parents put into their creation.

“We want to be very open with our children,” Colleen said.

As they did with David Jr., the Arambulas now accompany the surrogate on her maternity clinic visits in Tallahassee.

“We take a lot of trips to Tallahassee these days,” Colleen said.

Come April 30, they will be in the delivery room, cheering for their surrogate and Ella Rose. Colleen sometimes still can’t believe how fortunate she and David are. They have two successful companies and a healthy, growing family.

“I knew at a very young age I couldn’t carry children, but now I have two beautiful children,” Colleen said.

Miracles do indeed happen.

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