Support Brittney and Josiah Russell

Friends, Family, and Loved Ones –

I am asking for your help in a time of great need. My friends, Josiah and Brittney Russell, are currently fighting together in one of the toughest storms they have ever faced. Two weeks ago, I received a text message from Josiah that his wife, Brittney, was found unresponsive at their home in Idaho. Josiah was at a loss for words. Brittney is the love of his life, and even more she is carrying their first child, Abigail Della Russell. Brittney was life flighted to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho where she had and emergency surgery that identified she had a brain aneurysm. Brittney was then life flighted to a hospital in Spokane, Washington that could handle the delivery of Abby at 24 weeks if that had to happen. At the time this happened Josiah was in Iraq working as a contractor for the US Government. Josiah pushed through his pain and emotional unknown and made it to Spokane to be with the love of his life.

Josiah is a lifelong friend, that I had the honor to serve with in Iraq. He went on to do another tour in Afghanistan. Josiah is a hard-working man and does not ask for anything. He has made it through life working hard for everything he has earned. I know he and Brittney would not ask any of us to start this go fund me, but when the people we love are in need, we as friends must step up and help the people we care about.

Brittney is an amazing woman who is full of life and is just as hard working and dedicated as Josiah. They met each other working for a guiding outfit, where they were animal packers. If you don’t know what a packer is, it is someone who must be an excellent horseman / horsewoman, a quick thinker, a problem solver, and must have thorough knowledge of the terrain they work in.

Brittney’s passion for horses is what brought her to cross paths with Josiah. The photo is from their wedding, where they both road in on horseback.

On October 24th Brittney spent a total of 10 hours in surgery. That was toughest 10 hours for Josiah, Brittney’s family and loved ones. At the end of the surgery, we all thought the bleeding and blood was cleared out of her brain and she would be on her road to recovery. Unfortunately, we were wrong. Brittney had another brain surgery on November 2nd.

Friends, I am asking if you could please donate any monetary amount you can. This will be used to cover the cost of hotels, transportation, living expenses and the long road to recovery Brittney is going to have. Living expenses are not getting paid right now because Josiah had to leave his job to come home and Brittney was not at her employer long enough to have short or long-term disability coverage. If you cannot that is ok, but I am going to ask you to pray. If you are not a believer that is ok because my God is always listening. If you don’t know what to say that is ok too because you can pray with me: Dear lord I ask you to wrap your hands around baby Abigal and protect her from anything that tries to come her way and hurt her. I ask that you fill her heart with your love and the love of her mom and dad. Lord, I ask that you take all the pain away from Brittney and ask for a complete and full recovery. I ask that you give her peace in her heart and the power and strength to battle this storm that is in front of her and the road to recovery. Lord, I ask that you please strengthen Josiahs armor, please strengthen his heart with hope, lift his head to the horizon, and sharpen his sword. Lord, I ask that you give him the strength and courage to fight any obstacle that comes at him during this storm and any challenge that is presented in the future. Lord, I ask that you fill Brittney and Josiah’s family’s hearts with hope and strength and your name. Amen.

Friends, I thank you so much, and I leave you with this. “We Rise By Lifting Others”

Thank you,

William Smith