Help Andrew and His Family After Medical Emergency

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind-Hearted Strangers,

I am reaching out today to share the story of my beloved, active father-in-law, Andrew, who has recently experienced a life-changing medical emergency leaving him paralyzed.

While enjoying a beautiful day water skiing with his daughter Mary and her two friends (Rhett and Braylen), Andrew suddenly went unconscious after letting go of the rope and suffered a sudden severe cardiac arrest. Mary, a former lifeguard at Coney Island, and her two friends heroically pulled him out of the water, under her direction, and performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. At the hospital he coded twice and was put on life support (ECMO), dialysis, and a ventilator for several days. We finally were able to hear my dad's first words on Thursday after his body healed enough to function without the the help of the machines and he was extubated and taken off sedation. My family has spent every waking moment of this last week at Cincinnati's Mercy West hospital waiting to hear news of his progress and to be there in case things turned for the worse. His ongoing recovery has been described as nothing short of a miracle by the doctors. We thank God for this miracle. His doctors have also told us he wouldn't be here without Mary's immediate CPR.

MRI scans show that the cardiac arrest caused strokes in his spine and brain which has caused damage that the doctors are still analyzing. So far we know he has paralysis from his waist down due to the stoke in his spine in the lumbar area and some extent of cerebral damage. This news is devastating for Andrew, who has always been incredibly active. He enjoys biking with his dog Monty every day, water skiing every weekend with his family and friends, hiking, and working out. In recent years, he has conquered challenging hikes such as Half Dome in Yosemite, Angels Landing, and the Narrows in Zion, and snow skied in Lake Tahoe.

Andrew is the primary provider for his household, and this sudden change in his health will have a profound impact on his and his family's financial stability. We are committed to supporting him through this difficult time and helping him adjust to his new circumstances. However, we cannot do it alone.

Andrew has a heart of servitude and devotes his life to serving others through his faith. It's now time for him accept the help in his time of need. Andrew has a strong faith in the Love of Jesus to get him through this. He attends mass and prays the rosary daily. He is a Catechist teaching Jr. High and a leader of Acts XXIX ministry Rescue Project.

We are setting up this GoFundMe campaign to help alleviate the financial stress that comes with Andrew's ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and necessary adjustments to his home to accommodate his new needs. Our goal is to raise enough funds to ensure that Andrew can focus on his recovery without the added stress of financial worries.

Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a significant difference in Andrew's life and the lives of his loved ones as we transiton into this next phase of life with any necessary accommodations . Even sharing this story will help. We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we have already received. Your kindness and generosity mean the world to us. We are still at the hospital and have a long road to recover before the rehabilitation process. Please keep up the prayers.

Thank you for taking the time to read Andrew's story. If nothing else, please take the time to properly learn lifesaving techniques such as CPR and the heimlich maneuver because it could save someone's life like it saved my dad's.

We love our Dad so much and are beyond thankful that God kept him here with us. We are here for you always Dad.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Gabriella Nelson and Family