Help Byrd family: medical bills,funeral,tuition

Hello, my name is Danielle Hoover-Bernhardt.  I am starting this GoFundMe campaign for my sister, Angelique Byrd, in loving memory of her husband, Aron, and for their three children, Austin, Anderson, and Ava.

This campaign was started with the support of Angelique’s parents, John and Lori Hoover, and Aron’s mother, Kit Byrd, all of Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  

This past July, tragedy struck this beautiful family of five from Glen Allen, VA, when all were infected with COVID-19. My sister, Angelique, along with her husband, Aron, and their 19 year old son, Austin, were all hospitalized with respiratory failure, and admitted to the ICU with severe COVID pneumonia.

Austin was hospitalized for approximately 10 days, and has been left to battle “long haul” COVID symptoms, with extreme fatigue, joint pain, and intermittent shortness of breath.  Angelique still remains in the ICU in critical condition, one month after her admission. She is on a ventilator and fighting to regain function of her arms and legs. Her strength was ripped from her body, and she has encountered numerous complications as a result of infection with the unrelenting Delta variant. She has months of grueling rehab ahead of her, where she will need to relearn how to breathe, eat, speak, and move.

Today she learned that Aron, her high school sweetheart, best friend, and husband of 26 years, was taken into Heaven. He fought for his life in a neighboring ICU room for close to a month, and was even on ECMO, but to no avail. His lungs were just too ravaged by this terrible infection, and never regained function, despite all of the heroic efforts by the ICU staff.

Aron and Angelique’s three children, Austin, Anderson, and Ava, have had their world turned upside down. Their father was taken from them far too early. Their mother is unable to comfort them in their time of despair, as she continues to fight for her own life, while coping without Aron. Austin is unable to attend college this semester due to the physical and emotional toll on his body and mind. Anderson and Ava were abruptly plucked from EVERYTHING comfortable: their family, home, pets, school, sports, and friends.

My husband, Rich, and I are the Godparents to Austin, Anderson, and Ava. We promised Angelique and Aron we would care for their babies, and raise them like they are our own children. Our family has grown from 4 to 7 in the blink of an eye!   Ava and Anderson are now enrolled in our local Avon, Ohio school district, along with their cousins.  

It is our hope that once Angelique is strong enough, we can safely move her to a rehab facility near our home, where she can be showered by the love and attention she deserves. She will require months of intense rehab, and will need all of the love and support of our family around her to help her heal.

With your help, we hope to raise money to help pay medical bills for Aron, Angelique, and Austin. Your contribution will also go towards the funeral expenses for Aron, daily expenses, and college tuition for all three of their children.

Please feel free to share this campaign on all of your social media sites, as well as with all of your family and friends.

Thank you for all of your prayers and generosity.

God Bless you all, and may He keep you safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Danielle