Courageous Ray Rostis battles Covid-19

I have decided to start this GoFundMe account because our family and friends have been asking ‘what can I do to help?’  In a time where our family members cannot even sit and cry with our arms wrapped around each other due to social distancing, you can help by simply praying or donating to help with expenses that we cannot even fathom at this time. 

My father-in-law, Ray Rostis was diagnosed with Covid-19 on April 1.  While we have all sat there watching the gruesomeness unfold on TV, we never thought it could hit so close to home.  We silently prayed for all of those statistics as they flashed across the daily news feeds that were interrupted by our Governor pleading with us to stay at home.  Like most other people, he took precautions.  He washed his hands and only went places if necessary.  We could not ever imagine what would come next.  After being exposed to Covid-19, Ray soon began running a fever with a dry cough.  He was immediately quarantined to his room and we expected it would run its course and all would be fine.  Six days into his illness, his breathing became labored and he was rushed to the hospital. Even at that time, we spoke amongst ourselves, reassuring each other that he just needed help breathing with some oxygen and he’d be fine.  All the while, we were still watching this horror unfold on TV, making us even more grateful that he was at a Hospital that had a room for him and that he was getting the help needed.  That same day, he became a patient in need of intensive care.  He has been in the ICU for 8 days now putting up an incredible fight for his life.  We pray that he can continue to fight.  This virus is insidious. As we have been incurring these severe ups and downs of this nasty illness, we thank all of you who have prayed for him and for our family.  We are so grateful for meals that have been dropped off and kind words offered.   At a time when we cannot even gather to comfort our own family members, it is painful.  While Ray has made slight improvements over the past 48 hours, he remains in critical condition with the assistance of a ventilator.  While we believe God is in the process of answering our prayers, we rely on Ray’s strength to continue to fight. 

Even though all of his family members are at home, he is not alone.  He is surrounded by amazing doctors and nurses who are risking their own health to help him.  They have sat with him and comforted him all while trying to pull him through this illness.  As a family, we cannot even begin to express our appreciation for them fighting to ensure he gets to return home to us.

As I offer our gratitude to all who have supported us, I would also like to thank you in advance for any donation that you may give to help with bills they will be faced with. 

God Bless.