Jeremy Faust - A Stroke is big, but God is Bigger

Many have asked about a GoFundMe ...

So, here it is and we are grateful for all the support. We have delayed since we don't want to detract from the awesome, sustaining grace thus far that can only be explained as a God thing.

And, if you have already helped us in some way, please DO NOT give to this fund.

You have blessed us already.

For those who don't know us, let me explain. Jeremy was a perfectly fit, 49 year old, dad, husband and a civilian Air Traffic Controller at Eglin AFB. In his spare time he built sets and did some acting with a local community theatre troupe that his family is involved in. On his days off he was a volunteer at church and with the Samaritan's Purse Crisis & Disaster Response team. He had also bought a fixer-upper home for his family and was doing the work himself. Jeremy got more done in a week than three average guys combined and still made time for treks to Disney with the family .... where he'd ride every ride.

Then, one day, while working out during his allotted PT time on Eglin AFB, he got a sharp headache. What he assumed was just a pinched nerve was actually a small internal rip in an artery. About 24 hours later... Jeremy suffered a massive stroke. There was a storm that day and ironically, the near 30 year air traffic controller could not get clearance for a life flight to the hospital that could help him.

Traveling by ambulance instead, the damage was catastrophic by the time he arrived. Full right side paralysis, total loss of speech and even his heart was shutting down. It would be nearly two months before he returned home in a wheelchair with no use of his right arm and only a few words he could say.

But, Jeremy's heart desire was to get well & return to ATC in some capacity even if he could never speak to live traffic again. He loves his job! His knowledge was intact, it was his mouth and body that were broken.

It has been a long, hard fight and God has been faithful to sustain us, largely through His people, and in other ways I can't even explain other than through grace. Math told me that we would lose our home within 12 months ... but we haven't. Math told me that we could never afford certain therapy Jeremy needed yet was not covered by insurance ... but we did. Math told me .... well.... math told me a lot of things and we've discovered that math may limit us but it doesn't limit God. And for that, we are very grateful. I never really liked math anyway.

Now, despite best efforts, we've hit the end of a particular road. Jeremy has 30 years as an air traffic controller ... 10 as active duty Air Force and the remainder split between the FAA and as a civilian DOD. He currently has no pension and his voluntary retirement qualification date is July of 2022. So close and yet so far. He has not been able to be cleared medically to return to work and no accommodation can be made. It's complicated and frustrating but we are trusting God has another plan.

His termination date is December 18th, 2021. We have applied for a disability retirement and have received a letter briefing us to anticipate a 6 - 12 month processing time for approval. We have received some donated leave time from friends & friends of friends and even strangers that has been greatly appreciated and helped more than the donors could ever know.

Leave donations close on his termination date and several friends asked about a GoFundMe to share that could also possibly help bridge the 6-12 month gap and to apply to past debt since leave will no longer be an option. Strokes are expensive, as is over six months worth of leave without pay (LWOP) hours. So, I'm finally opening a GoFundMe for friends to share.

If we are blessed through this, we will first cover Jeremy's interim medical needs, followed by our house payment for the next several months while waiting on disability processing and then we will apply funds to outstanding debt since future annuity payments will not cover that. Finally, we'd finish a couple home maintenance items that Jeremy started but can not finish with only one hand & would be needed to get our fixer-upper of a house marketable. We will sell if we must but hope to not have to. We don't know what God has in store for us next .... but we trust.... and most of all we appreciate your prayers.

P.S. - If you are friends and family that have helped us and prayed for us, please DO NOT give again to this fund. Please just share it on.

Thank you all.