The Melissa Gard Fund
Donation protected
The story I am about to share with you is one that has affected the lives of many, but one person in particular, my mother, Melissa Gard. She is 49 years old and suffered a massive stroke almost three and a half years ago. I remember the day it happened like it was yesterday, because it was the day that my mother’s life changed forever.
Melissa is a single mom. She was working as a hairdresser in the spa at our local Lifetime Fitness. In addition to her bubbly personality and exceptional haircutting skills, Melissa was also an avid marathon runner. She qualified for the Boston Marathon three times and completed it twice. The physical fitness level that she achieved was amazing. Her inspiration affected my approach to high school sports in a positive way. I always looked up to her as a physical icon. Not only was she an incredible athlete, she has been an amazing mother to my younger brother and me. She was firm in her discipline, but gentle in her approach. She helped me overcome adversity in life and helped to make me the strong person I am today.
While I was away at college, my mother continued to work hard, raise my younger brother and make ends meet. She was building a nice clientele at the salon. Then, one day that all changed. One morning, she awoke extremely confused, disoriented with numbness and blindness on her left side. I was home for the summer. She opened my bedroom door and literally fell into my room, very confused with slurred speech asking for help, unable to explain her sudden condition.
Upon arriving at the hospital, I was told she suffered a massive stroke. It was quickly discovered that there was a small tear in one of her carotid arteries that had ballooned up and blocked the artery, shutting off ¼ of the blood flow to her brain. Due to the lack of blood and clots that were released into her brain, she suffered approximately 15% brain damage which she is unable to regain.
After a short time in the emergency room, the doctors realized the severity of her stroke and decided she needed to be flown to the stroke unit in Fairfax Inova Hospital. However, the winds were so gusty that day that her life flight helicopter could not fly. She was transported by ambulance to the Fairfax Hospital. Upon arrival, she was admitted to the ICU (stroke unit) where she was treated for eight days. Once the doctors were able to get her stabilized and evaluate the extent of the damage, she was released to her family’s care. Due to her high level of physical fitness the doctors admitted that they were perplexed that she had had a stroke.
The days following her arrival home were tough to watch. Our family --her parents, sister and I-- were very worried to leave her alone. We stayed at her house to make sure that her medications were being taken regularly. We all had to help her learn activities of daily living again. It was an extremely rough time for my mom, because she started to realize the many permanent side effects that were a result of the stroke…challenges with memory, attention, judgement and comprehension. Physically, she had numbness in her arms and a slight droop to her face.
She was making great strides with these changes when the unthinkable happened. Approximately six months after her return home, she suffered a massive seizure that placed her back into the hospital for several more days. We were told it was triggered by the brain, due to the damage it suffered from the stroke. This, unfortunately, was the start of many seizure episodes. Since then, she has been in the hospital six more times for seizures and twice for mini strokes.
Her medications are very expensive. Her ongoing medical bills have stacked up and currently exceed $30,000. To say the least, she is strapped financially. Amazingly, she has been able to go back to work. She still has numbness in her arm and hand; however, she is a fighter. Due to her medical bills, she is falling behind on her monthly obligations. She is on the verge of losing her home and possible financial ruin.
My mother, Melissa, has asked for nothing and she is unaware of this campaign and has no idea that sites like this even exist. My goal is to surprise her with the money to help reduce her medical bills, so she can lower her monthly expenses and keep her home. She is truly in survival mode. She does not have any kind of social media accounts, so this will be a miracle to her with your kindness and support. I will post a small video when I hand her the check!
Thank you so much for taking time to read her story. I hope to thank each and every one of you that donate. Any little bit will help!
If you do not contribute to the fund, that is okay. All I ask is that you share this page with your friends to help pass along the goodwill.
May God bless you,
Alec & Wyatt Gard
Melissa is a single mom. She was working as a hairdresser in the spa at our local Lifetime Fitness. In addition to her bubbly personality and exceptional haircutting skills, Melissa was also an avid marathon runner. She qualified for the Boston Marathon three times and completed it twice. The physical fitness level that she achieved was amazing. Her inspiration affected my approach to high school sports in a positive way. I always looked up to her as a physical icon. Not only was she an incredible athlete, she has been an amazing mother to my younger brother and me. She was firm in her discipline, but gentle in her approach. She helped me overcome adversity in life and helped to make me the strong person I am today.
While I was away at college, my mother continued to work hard, raise my younger brother and make ends meet. She was building a nice clientele at the salon. Then, one day that all changed. One morning, she awoke extremely confused, disoriented with numbness and blindness on her left side. I was home for the summer. She opened my bedroom door and literally fell into my room, very confused with slurred speech asking for help, unable to explain her sudden condition.
Upon arriving at the hospital, I was told she suffered a massive stroke. It was quickly discovered that there was a small tear in one of her carotid arteries that had ballooned up and blocked the artery, shutting off ¼ of the blood flow to her brain. Due to the lack of blood and clots that were released into her brain, she suffered approximately 15% brain damage which she is unable to regain.
After a short time in the emergency room, the doctors realized the severity of her stroke and decided she needed to be flown to the stroke unit in Fairfax Inova Hospital. However, the winds were so gusty that day that her life flight helicopter could not fly. She was transported by ambulance to the Fairfax Hospital. Upon arrival, she was admitted to the ICU (stroke unit) where she was treated for eight days. Once the doctors were able to get her stabilized and evaluate the extent of the damage, she was released to her family’s care. Due to her high level of physical fitness the doctors admitted that they were perplexed that she had had a stroke.
The days following her arrival home were tough to watch. Our family --her parents, sister and I-- were very worried to leave her alone. We stayed at her house to make sure that her medications were being taken regularly. We all had to help her learn activities of daily living again. It was an extremely rough time for my mom, because she started to realize the many permanent side effects that were a result of the stroke…challenges with memory, attention, judgement and comprehension. Physically, she had numbness in her arms and a slight droop to her face.
She was making great strides with these changes when the unthinkable happened. Approximately six months after her return home, she suffered a massive seizure that placed her back into the hospital for several more days. We were told it was triggered by the brain, due to the damage it suffered from the stroke. This, unfortunately, was the start of many seizure episodes. Since then, she has been in the hospital six more times for seizures and twice for mini strokes.
Her medications are very expensive. Her ongoing medical bills have stacked up and currently exceed $30,000. To say the least, she is strapped financially. Amazingly, she has been able to go back to work. She still has numbness in her arm and hand; however, she is a fighter. Due to her medical bills, she is falling behind on her monthly obligations. She is on the verge of losing her home and possible financial ruin.
My mother, Melissa, has asked for nothing and she is unaware of this campaign and has no idea that sites like this even exist. My goal is to surprise her with the money to help reduce her medical bills, so she can lower her monthly expenses and keep her home. She is truly in survival mode. She does not have any kind of social media accounts, so this will be a miracle to her with your kindness and support. I will post a small video when I hand her the check!
Thank you so much for taking time to read her story. I hope to thank each and every one of you that donate. Any little bit will help!
If you do not contribute to the fund, that is okay. All I ask is that you share this page with your friends to help pass along the goodwill.
May God bless you,
Alec & Wyatt Gard
Organizer and beneficiary
Alec Gard
Organizer
Leesburg, VA
William Gard
Beneficiary