Merrin McHugh's stroke recovery fund

On the afternoon of Sunday April 2, our beloved Merrin had a stroke. She was at home when it occurred and she found herself in a very bad spot: conscious but unable to move or speak.

Immobilized on her bed, she could not reach for her phone to call 9-1-1. She was unable to shout for help or even make a sound. Frightened and in shock, Merrin was trapped.

Something you might know about Merrin is that she loved living alone. Her apartment was a sanctuary for her and her two cats, Julie Andrews and Liza Minnelli. She entertained regularly but like any true Taurus, she craved relaxation in solitude, and her sunny Trinity-Bellwoods home was a perfect place for that. On April 2, though, her solo haven made her situation particularly dire:

Merrin was trapped alone in her apartment for 60 hours.

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On Tuesday April 4, Merrin’s coworkers began to fret when she didn’t show up for work. Friends were contacted. Group chats lit up. Merrin's childhood friend Robyn quickly connected the dots. Recognizing that no one had heard from Merrin since Sunday, she managed to get inside the apartment and reach our girl in time.

Merrin was rushed to Toronto Western Hospital for the emergency surgery that helped save her life and started her on her journey to recovery.

At every point along that journey, Merrin has defied expectations and literally done the impossible. As soon as she was able to communicate, she made it clear that she retained her memories, her intelligence, her mannerisms, … her Merrin-ness. Contrary and stubborn as ever, she has continuously proved doctors and nurses wrong. Every prognosis, every prediction she’s been given, she’s bested. Every single one.

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Today, Merrin is living her best millennial life: she’s moved back in with her parents and she brought her cats. She’s walking, swimming, and hosting get-togethers again. She is diligently working through speech rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. Incidentally, she looks absolutely beautiful. And she needs our help.

In any time of illness, expenses pile up. Merrin is still quite a ways off from being able to return to work, and has already lost nearly four months’ worth of income. She needs to support her body and mind while they continue to heal from trauma, and that requires time with professionals. Perhaps most importantly, for the sake of her health she must avoid the constant stress that comes with being broke.

This is where we come in. If you’re reading this, and if you have the capacity to give, please consider doing so. Merrin’s got a long road ahead of her, and she needs her community’s support.