Help #AbbieStrong and Her Family

My name is Rob Zeis and my wife Tricia and I have a daughter at Saydel High School in Des Moines. We are starting this GoFundMe to help one of her volleyball teammates, Abbie Estrada, who is fighting to regain her quality of life following a life-threatening emergency during a volleyball game nearly six weeks ago.

Abbie is also a junior at Saydel. She's known as a friendly, caring girl who always has a smile on her face. She loved to play softball, and was a member of Saydel's softball team that made it to the State Tournament this year and finished in fourth place. She also enjoyed playing volleyball, and went into the season ready to help her team this fall in that sport as well.

However, on Friday, August 19th, the unthinkable happened.

During a volleyball scrimmage in Colfax, Abbie collapsed on the court shortly after the game began and went into cardiac arrest. Bystanders helped to revive her on scene, and she was transported by EMS to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines. While being transported by ambulance to Des Moines, she went into cardiac arrest a second time and was revived again by medics.

Abbie was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Blank and was on a ventilator for a week. During her time in the PICU, tests revealed that she suffered an anoxic brain injury due to the interruption of oxygen to her brain during her cardiac arrest episodes. She also battled a host of complications, including pneumonia and an infection of her PICC line. She spent over three weeks in the PICU and a few days longer in a regular hospital room while further tests were run to determine the cause of her condition.

On September 19th, exactly one month following her medical emergency, Abbie was moved to ChildServe in Johnston to begin the long process of rehabilitation following a significant brain injury.

In the short time Abbie has been at ChildServe, she has made tremendous strides. When my wife and I visited on Friday, her familiar smile returned and she tried several times to get out of her bed. They've even started letting her eat soft foods and work with her daily in therapy. Despite suffering a brain injury, Abbie's sunny personality still shines through!

Meanwhile, Tricia and I have gotten to know her family quite well during this ordeal. Her mother Robyn has been by Abbie's side constantly throughout this last month and a half. Her stepfather Dave has been there daily as well when not at work, filling in when Robyn needs to rest or go home to tend to family needs. Abbie's sister Autumn has also taken time to visit whenever she can, despite attending pharmacy school at the University of Iowa full-time.

Abbie's teammates on the volleyball and softball teams at Saydel and her club softball team have also lent their support. They all made up huge, colorful posters and cards that now hang in her room, and her teammates helped popularize the #AbbieStrong hashtag that adorns the backs of the volleyball team's warmup shirts. Every huddle during their games is ended with the exclamation of "ABBIE!" to show her and her family how much they care for her.

Abbie is in very good hands at ChildServe, and has the love and support of a great family behind her. But her family needs help; YOUR help. The costs of extended hospital stays and extensive rehab are immense, and insurance can only cover so much. But there are unforeseen costs that go beyond that. Abbie's mother is not able to work as she is helping care for her daughter full time. As part of the rehabilitation process, there may be special equipment that the family may need to purchase themselves. It will take many months of therapy before Abbie could possibly go home, and expensive modifications to their home may be necessary if she continues her rehab at home.

Even if you can only give a small amount, it will mean so much for Abbie and her family. She is fighting every single day to get better, and your support will ensure that the fight will continue and her family can be there for her.

Help keep #AbbieStrong going!