Love and support for the Shimp Family

You may remember the GoFundMe we sent out two years ago celebrating our dear friend Mike Shimp's progress, with a video of Mike climbing the stairs for the first time in 2 years, after suffering multiple strokes and undergoing multiple heart surgeries due to an infected heart valve. Well, this GoFundMe is much less celebratory, but just as necessary.

The reality is Mike doesn't regularly climb the stairs. He sleeps in a hospital bed in the living room and Traci sleeps on the couch right next to him, in case he needs to get up in the middle of the night. Mike still needs care 24/7. He struggles with basic daily tasks and speech. The most heartbreaking part of all of this is that due to the brain injury Mike suffered, he also struggles with emotional regulation. Mike is working so hard and is doing his best under the most difficult of circumstances, but he has really high highs and really low lows, which makes caring for him extremely trying.

We are in awe of our dear friend, Traci as she continues to meet this challenge like a freaking Rockstar with admirable grace and strength. Traci and her three beautiful teenagers continue to care for Mike while also mourning the loss of the husband/father they once knew.

Traci has recently taken on a new job with more hours to try to make ends meet, but with that comes additional caretaker expenses as Mike cannot be left home alone. And there are still Mike's multiple therapies... And medical expenses... And home repair... And a car that breaks down... And college. As you all know, the list goes on and on.

One more challenge is that the disability income the kids currently receive ends when they turn 18... just as they head off to college. Traci is so very grateful for all of the continued help she gets from family and friends and is practicing how to ask for and receive help.

But we are all in this together. Friends show up in good times and in hard times and HERE. WE. ARE.

Any gift or amount would be so greatly appreciated to help the Shimps lighten their very heavy load. Thank you so very much!! Janie, Kim, Molly, Nicole and Noreen