Ryan Needs Your Help--Spinal Stroke Recovery Fund

On the morning of March 8th, 2021, Ryan, a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, suddenly lost all feeling and control from mid-chest down as well as in his hands. After several days in a local hospital, the doctors at CUHealth Anschutz Medical Hospital in Denver, Colorado, were able to pinpoint that Ryan suffered a spinal stroke causing paralysis, as a result of a clot settling somewhere between his C5 and T2 vertebrae. At this time, doctors can’t explain why it happened, but they still hope to learn so they can best know how to prevent another spinal stroke from occurring.
            With spinal strokes, once the injury occurs, the injury is generally there to stay. The chances of returning to his previous level of function have been explored, but it’s too early at this time to determine how much, if any, ability he may regain.  At this time, Ryan is undergoing both rehab and physical therapy in the spinal cord unit at the VA hospital in Denver under a team of extraordinary doctors and staff. Nonetheless, it is a challenging road to recovery—however that takes shape.
            In the meantime, we would like to be able to help Ryan, his wife Rebecca, and their family defray the many costs following this spinal stroke, especially since this is a time of reduced household income. These costs include but aren’t limited to:
 
·      Outfitting Ryan and Rebecca’s home for needs regarding Ryan’s limited mobility.
·      An outfitted vehicle that’s wheelchair accessible.
·      Travel costs between the hospital, rehab center, and home.
·      Home services, such as cleaning and lawncare, that is more difficult to complete at this time.
·      In-home nursing care.
 
            Ryan, a veteran who served in our United States Air Force for 20 years, was deployed twice to the Middle East during his career and to several other locations as well. He has spent a lifetime giving not only to this country, but to his family, his neighborhood, and his community through active participation in many different church and local organizations. A giver with a servant’s heart by nature, Ryan has done much to be a source of hope and encouragement to others. Through this Go-Fund-Me fundraiser, we hope to give a small measure of that back to him in return.
            Ryan does have medical insurance, but it is not comprehensive for an injury such as this and will not cover necessary modifications needed to get him back home, which will hopefully occur early summer. Our fundraising total takes this into account as well as the realities of financial hardship brought on by Ryan’s inability to work at this time and Rebecca’s reduced availability to work (Rebecca is a preschool teacher at a Colorado Springs school) while Ryan recovers.
            Thank you so much for reading Ryan’s story, and we especially thank you for considering a donation to him and his family. 100% of all money raised will go to this family. Rest assured they are thankful, as are all those that know and love Ryan. May God bless and keep you and yours.