Help Joanie and Marcel Rebuild After Crisis

Everybody's friend, the one and only Joanie (Sorrells) Winchester of Tatonka Kennels, who for the past 40 plus years has been so very helpful to the breed we love and those who love the breed needs our help NOW.

On September 25th she suffered a severe accident/fall resulting in a multitude of injuries including a fractured wrist, mangled hand bones, torn and stretched ligaments in her knees and ankles which required hospitalization. To make matters worse, the pain caused severe migraines which could not be controlled and caused her to vomit to the point she was dehydrated and start passing kidney stones. At this point she developed serious heart issues and needed to be LifeFlighted to a bigger hospital. There she was given a cardiac catheter to diagnose the stress related onset of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The medication given to her for that caused her blood pressure to drop to 60/40 so she taken back to the hospital. Then on Monday, October 7, she goes to have surgery to put plates in her wrist, they take her blood pressure again and it is back to 60/43, so they raced her to the ER and kept her for 3 days. Turns out it was the heart medicine causing this and it took them 2 days to get the medicine out of her system. (All this time they couldn't fix her wrist and hand!) On October 11, she finally had her wrist and hand plated and pinned together.

While she was hospitalized Florida was being hit with unprecedented storms and Joanie and Marcel could not be there to safeguard their home resulting in water damage destroyed their air conditioning unit and ducting so they came home to total destruction of many elements of their home due to mold and moisture damage. They currently have no heat and no air conditioning and with Joanie unable to use her hand for months to come, clean-up is a real challenge.

For those who may not know Joanie as well as I, here are a few things to consider: she has been involved with the breed since the 1970's including the breeding of one of the most successful and iconic lines in the breed (Sorrells dogs), she was one of the first ADBA conformation judges, she may be the only person who holds all of the following, ADBA International judge, TOP DOG judge, Safedog 1 and 2 Tester, Training Judge and was awarded the ADBA's Dog Man of the Year award, Hall of Fame member and the Lifetime Achievement Award winner. She has traveled the world judging and educating generations of fanciers on the REAL American pit bull. She is absolutely giving of her time and knowledge to any who ask.

Joanie has a long history of helping animals, starting with being the foreman of the Manhattan, NY ASPCA shelter, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Walton County, Florida Humane Society, worked many years as a veterinarian assistant, has rehabbed starving horses and has always been the first person I go to when I need medical advice on my dogs.

In her retirement she has co-founded a working dog club in her area, "The Garden" where all breeds and all people can come together and learn new things including the ADBA's Top Dog sports!

Retired 72 year old Marcel has gone back to work but this sudden onslaught of medical bills and emergency home repair has put them in a very bad place. As someone who has benefitted from years of support, sharing of knowledge, deals on great dogs and meaningful friendship with Joanie, I want to bring her plight to the attention of all the other folks out there in the pit bull community who have also benefitted from her giving nature and kindness. She needs our help right now - and I for one welcome an opportunity to repay her even just a little bit. Joanie and Marcel have SO many friends all over the world - if we all just pitch in even a little, we can help these legends to get back on their feet. Please, send as little or as much as you can to help these folks who have done so very much for the American pit bull and for us.