Help a Veteran get Neck Surgery
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Marshall "Dean" Tildon (a.k.a. Dad) is first and foremost a caring and devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and one of the most thoughtful people you'll ever meet. He is also a veteran of the United States Navy, and recently retired from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers as a Surveyor. On April 25, 2018, while finishing up a routine survey of the Chetco River in Brookings, Oregon, the boat he was on capsized. The boat operator managed to escape, but Dad was trapped inside with only a small pocket of air. Waves thrashed the boat for nearly an hour, as his air pocket was shrinking by the minute. All the while, he was only thinking about his family, and how he may never see us again, not even realizing just how cold the water was around him.
Bystanders on the beach witnessed the accident and quickly banded together to try and pull the boat closer to shore, while waiting for the Coast Guard to arrive. It took about 45 minutes and several attempts, but the Coast Guard was finally able bring the boat in and pull Dean to safety. Having been thrown across the cabin of the boat while it was being flipped over, his back and neck sustained significant trauma; however, at the time of his rescue, he was only diagnosed with hypothermia.
Shortly after the accident, he began experiencing numbness and loss of control in both of his arms, and his hands lose grip on things. When he went back to work, there was an incident where he fell off the dock while trying to get onto the boat, because his hands completely gave out on him. After that, he was put on a desk job until he decided to retire. His doctor told him he would need neck surgery, and the Corp assured him that all his medical bills should be covered by Worker's Comp. For a year and half, he's been waiting to have the much-needed surgery, while Worker's Comp took their time to decide on whether they would pay for the surgery or not. During that time, he's been forced to seek a second and third opinion from two other doctors. Each of the appointments have been scheduled several months apart, and several hundred miles from where he lives. Meanwhile, his symptoms continued to get worse, to the point that he now needs back surgery as well. In November 2019, he was informed that Worker's Comp denied his claim, because they believe there's not enough evidence to prove the injuries were caused by the boat accident. What they don't realize is that he was able to do his job just fine prior to the accident, but after the accident, he wasn't. He's also been unable to do the things he enjoys most, like going on outings with his family, hunting, camping, and wood carving.
Now, he can hardly walk or function, not to mention he's in constant pain. Therefore, he has no choice but to get the surgery and pay for it out of pocket. His insurance will cover 80% of the cost, but he will have to pay the remaining 20%. His neck surgery alone is estimated to cost nearly $100,000, which means his portion is about $20,000. We don't know yet what the back surgery will cost.
Words cannot express how truly thankful we are that our dad survived the accident, and we're extremely grateful to all the people who helped with the rescue. Unfortunately, since the accident, he has dealt with nothing but pain, agony, frustration, and rejection. Dad would never ask for help, but we will do whatever we can to take care of him. Please consider helping by alleviating some of the financial burden, so he can focus on recovery and getting his life back.
https://www.oregonlive.com/news/erry-2018/04/b468ac387d1141/watch_coast_guard_rescues_man.html
https://www.wildcoastcompass.com/army-corps-of-engineers-recognizes-chetco-coast-guard-crewmen-and-brookings-resident/
https://www.dredgemag.com/2018/05/14/bystanders-and-coast-guard-rescue-surveyors-from-capsized-boat/
News Coverage Video
Boat Rescue Video
Bystanders on the beach witnessed the accident and quickly banded together to try and pull the boat closer to shore, while waiting for the Coast Guard to arrive. It took about 45 minutes and several attempts, but the Coast Guard was finally able bring the boat in and pull Dean to safety. Having been thrown across the cabin of the boat while it was being flipped over, his back and neck sustained significant trauma; however, at the time of his rescue, he was only diagnosed with hypothermia.
Shortly after the accident, he began experiencing numbness and loss of control in both of his arms, and his hands lose grip on things. When he went back to work, there was an incident where he fell off the dock while trying to get onto the boat, because his hands completely gave out on him. After that, he was put on a desk job until he decided to retire. His doctor told him he would need neck surgery, and the Corp assured him that all his medical bills should be covered by Worker's Comp. For a year and half, he's been waiting to have the much-needed surgery, while Worker's Comp took their time to decide on whether they would pay for the surgery or not. During that time, he's been forced to seek a second and third opinion from two other doctors. Each of the appointments have been scheduled several months apart, and several hundred miles from where he lives. Meanwhile, his symptoms continued to get worse, to the point that he now needs back surgery as well. In November 2019, he was informed that Worker's Comp denied his claim, because they believe there's not enough evidence to prove the injuries were caused by the boat accident. What they don't realize is that he was able to do his job just fine prior to the accident, but after the accident, he wasn't. He's also been unable to do the things he enjoys most, like going on outings with his family, hunting, camping, and wood carving.
Now, he can hardly walk or function, not to mention he's in constant pain. Therefore, he has no choice but to get the surgery and pay for it out of pocket. His insurance will cover 80% of the cost, but he will have to pay the remaining 20%. His neck surgery alone is estimated to cost nearly $100,000, which means his portion is about $20,000. We don't know yet what the back surgery will cost.
Words cannot express how truly thankful we are that our dad survived the accident, and we're extremely grateful to all the people who helped with the rescue. Unfortunately, since the accident, he has dealt with nothing but pain, agony, frustration, and rejection. Dad would never ask for help, but we will do whatever we can to take care of him. Please consider helping by alleviating some of the financial burden, so he can focus on recovery and getting his life back.
https://www.oregonlive.com/news/erry-2018/04/b468ac387d1141/watch_coast_guard_rescues_man.html
https://www.wildcoastcompass.com/army-corps-of-engineers-recognizes-chetco-coast-guard-crewmen-and-brookings-resident/
https://www.dredgemag.com/2018/05/14/bystanders-and-coast-guard-rescue-surveyors-from-capsized-boat/
News Coverage Video
Boat Rescue Video
Organizer
Megan Simmons
Organizer
McMinnville, OR