Help Mar, a partially paralyzed swordfighter!

This section added at the request of Rita Wilks, Bill's Mother:

"Before the aneurysm in his brain, Bill generated income from making wood and metal crafts. He made a beautiful guitar and was in the process of making a harp. He also made crowns with jewels and other metal and wood products.

He is very determined and does not give up. When he first had the aneurysm, the doctors told him he would never get out of bed and would be a vegetable. After they finally removed the clot he was sitting up in a chair. Then they said he would always be in a wheelchair. While in the rehab hospital, he would sneak out of bed and try to walk, resulting in many falls, while holding onto the bed. He left the rehab hospital using a walker. After he got home he would walk and walk and WALK, and eventually he only needed a cane. With his right side paralyzed, he needs this device to be able to use his right arm/hand so he can be productive and engage in his crafts again."

This is Bill Wilks, a modern Viking known to his friends and chosen family in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) as Mar. I write this for him as a friend that has had the privilege to meet such a once in a lifetime individual.

On January 1st, 2018, Mar had a brain aneurysm. Through sheer determination and will (and just the right amount of stubbornness), he not only survived, but regained partial mobility on his left side. But he still suffers from right-sided partial paralysis, muscle weakness, muscle impairment, and vocal aphasia.

Mar has the opportunity to regain use of his right side with a stroke rehabilitation system, the Ipsihand . But his insurance won't fully cover the cost.

Mar is the kind of person that will wake up at 4am and drive six hours for a friend in need, without question. He is, and wants to be again, a great swordfighter – it's his second biggest passion in life, aside from helping everyone that he comes into contact with. With only the few words available to him he can have a room of people in stitches, and would never hesitate to use them to stand up and defend those who can't defend themselves.

His friends and family now want to come together with this fundraiser and have a chance to give back to such a courteous, brave, generous, loving individual. He inspires the people around him to achieve more than they ever thought possible, and it's time to return the favor.