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Emily's Husband Ben attacked volunteering in Peru

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Life changes in an instant. We are never ever fully prepared to process news from doctors about our spouse, "Emily, Ben's at death's door, it's in God's hands now". We are never fully prepared to process financial ruin from medical and legal bills and unexpected living expenses. 
 
My husband Benjamin Jung and I have been volunteering at an orphanage in Perú since December 2020. But life changed in an instant when Ben left the orphanage on his motorcycle and never returned. I replay that phone call in my head, "Emily we found him...Ben was in a very serious accident on January 28. He's not expected to live." 
 
Despite wearing a helmet, Ben suffered cranium fractures in several parts of his cranium, eye injuries, broken and collapsed lungs, broken bones and polytrauma. Evidence and medical opinion now gathered points to a robbery and attack rather than an accident. It's like he was beaten with a tire iron on the whole right side. He was on a mechanical ventilator and life support. He went through sepsis, double pneumonia, thrombosis and innumerable dangerous infections. He had a craniectomy. He has a tracheotomy, a PEG tube in his stomach and a central venous catheter. He was in ICU for a long time and in a coma for about 2 months. He is currently in a semi-comatose state where he does not communicate and does not respond to commands. 
 
It is excruciating to watch a loved one suffer. Feeling so helpless. The conditions in a public hospital in a third world country are horrific. Ben couldn't be moved to a private hospital since the doctors said he would die en route. We were finally able to transfer him to ICU in a private hospital on March 18. He had the surgery to put his cranium bone back on April 7. The doctors are saying that he has severe brain damage and will likely remain a vegetable or like a baby the rest of his life. 
 
And so I turn to you, my family, friends and strangers. Please help. I am desperate. I have drained our accounts, maxed our credit cards. They will not treat him at the private hospital unless I pay first. The medical bills are astronomical. I have legal and living expenses. The doctors have not approved Ben for transfer back to the US because it is too dangerous. I am paying lawyers in Peru and in the US. The stress and pressure of being at the hospital and dealing with life in a third world country are now augmented exponentially by financial stress. It truly is in God's hands now and I know miracles exist. Please help share my story. Please join us in prayer for a miracle for Ben’s life. Thank you so much for your support.
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Donations 

  • Suzanne Kimpel
    • $25
    • 15 d
  • Anonymous
    • $10
    • 1 mo
  • Sandra del Cid
    • $249
    • 1 mo
  • Anonymous
    • $10
    • 2 mos
  • Anonymous
    • $10
    • 2 mos
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Fundraising team (2)

Emily Van De Ven
Organizer
Annandale, VA
Diane Van De Ven
Team member

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