Steck Family Fundraiser

I am setting up this GoFundMe on behalf of my brother Aaron Steck, his wife Melanie, and his family. If you know Aaron, you know he is one of a kind with a heart of gold. He is a great husband, father, uncle, friend, neighbor, and coach.

Aaron and Melanie need our help.

In August 2014, Aaron contracted meningitis. He lost his vision in both eyes during his hospitalization to treat the meningitis. The doctors could not figure out what was happening to him. After eight months of testing, he was finally diagnosed with Behcet's Disease. Behcet's (beh-CHETS) disease, also called Behcet's Syndrome, "is a rare disorder that causes blood vessel inflammation throughout your body," according to the Mayo Clinic . "The disease can lead to numerous signs and symptoms that can seem unrelated at first. They can include mouth sores, eye inflammation, joint pain, extreme fatigue, skin rashes, skin pain, and even lesions."

Shortly after his diagnosis in 2015, Aaron lost his ability to work. He has been on disability ever since, taking multiple medications, including high doses of steroids, to treat the symptoms of his Bechet's Disease. The high amounts of steroids have caused his bones to become extremely brittle.

FAST FORWARD TO RECENT EVENTS…

A few months ago, Aaron was sitting in a rolling office chair, putting on his shoes. When he bent over, the office chair rolled out from under him. Aaron fell to the ground, and the heavy chair landed on top of him. He ended up breaking a single vertebra. After doctors admitted Aaron to the hospital for pain management, they discovered he also suffered from a blood infection. They treated the condition in addition to the pain from his broken vertebra. After two weeks, technicians fitted Aaron with a back brace and discharged him from the hospital.

Melanie took a leave of absence from work so she could care for Aaron as he could not move very well and required around-the-clock injections of antibiotics. Aaron seemed to be recovering at home. He was making good progress getting some strength back. But things took a turn for the worse.

A week after returning home, Aaron was standing in the bathroom, and his legs gave out. He fell to the tile floor, fracturing multiple vertebrae. On July 22, Aaron met with a specialist and scheduled surgery for August 4. In the meantime, he was at home in his brace. He had extensive OT and PT sessions and began to move independently and use the stairs.

On Wednesday, July 27, Melanie rushed Aaron to the emergency room because he was experiencing electric shock waves down his back and a lot more pain than usual. Doctors admitted him for observation and pain control.

Later that evening, Aaron started to have weakness in his left leg. Within an hour, he could not move his left leg and was experiencing the same sensation in his right leg. He quickly lost motion in both legs. The on-call surgeon jumped into action and found the "hardware" for his surgery.

During surgery, the medical team discovered a blood infection in Aaron's spine, applying pressure to the spinal cord. This pressure was causing his loss of movement. The surgeon explained that this was good news. Before discovering the pressure, the doctors feared a bone fragment had severed Aaron's spinal cord -- which would have caused permanent paralysis. With the diagnosis of the infection, there is still the possibility of recovering function in his legs, but that will take time and extensive physical therapy.

Aaron is currently doing well in recovery at Newton Wellesley Hospital. The staff is trying to treat the blood infection and keep him comfortable. His spirits are good.

The only thing is -- the medical bills are already piling up. And they haven’t even started extensive rehab. Additionally, their two-story home will require modifications so Aaron can safely return home after recovery and acute rehabilitation.

Aaron and Melanie need some financial support. They are too proud to ask, which is why I'm doing it for them.

Anything you can donate would be greatly appreciated.