Donate to help Mark Bestick & Family

Hi, my name is Pete Knutson and I'm fundraising to support a good friend of mine, Mark Bestick, and his family. Mark has endured incredible physical and emotional challenges in the past year due to a medical condition that has resulted in a partial amputation of one leg. Mark is an exceptional man, husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, friend, neighbor, coworker, and Christian. Let's show Mark and his family the support he would give us if we were in need. Mark's story in his own words:

"Some of my friends, and all of my family know that last October, I had my left leg amputated. I’ve kept this a guarded secret, because I don’t like to share things that I perceive as making me vulnerable. In the spring of 2022, I developed a foot ulcer, quickly turned into a condition known as osteomyelitis, or bone infection. This infection quickly went sepsis throughout my entire body, two separate times. Both times nearly killed me, as my body temperature was 106F. If it wasn’t for my wife, literally dragging me to the hospital, I would have undoubtedly died.

The second time I went to the ER, they decided to transfer me to United Hospital in St Paul, for a more comprehensive treatment plan. It was here that I found out that the osteomyelitis, caused a condition known as osteonecrosis, also known as bone death. I also have a disease called peripheral neuropathy, which essentially limits the blood supply to the farthest parts of the body, the legs/feet & arms/legs.

So the surgeon at United gave me two options - try to keep the leg, and most likely continue to have episodes of sepsis, that would undoubtedly kill me, as the mortality rate is around 30%, for each time it happens, or the second option, amputate the leg, and essentially save my life. It really wasn’t a choice. After the amputation, I was in the hospital for 3 weeks doing rehab. I was discharged with an open wound, in hopes that the wound would close itself, with the help of a wound vac. Long story short, it did not. I continued to get infections, and had a total of 4 surgeries, so far. I currently have an above the knee amputation, and because of the infection, cannot have the wound closed, which has stopped my PT for a prosthetic leg.

I have been in this wheelchair for 9 months now. I was out of work for 6 months, and nearly lost my job, but have been back to work since the end of March. We went through all of our savings, and some of our retirement, to stay afloat. I’m hoping to right the ship here, as I continue to stay employed, but I also am praying to get the prosthetic process back on track, so I can start walking again. "