Medical & Caring For Cedric
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The Story
Three large pit bulls attacked my husband, Cedric
in an alley in a community known for loose and trained attack dogs in April of this year. In less than 10 minutes Cedric was left with open wounds to his face, head, ears, arms, back and legs. All the while he was being attacked, he was fighting for his life and saying to himself over and over "I've got to get home to my wife". The vicious attack ended when police were called to the scene and shot and killed two of the dogs. The third dog was captured and transported to the city pound (and later euthanized). As one can only imagine, the scene was tragic and horrific! Rather than help my husband, passersby stood by and watched! This incident left Cedric unable to work for over 5 months while he endured painful physical and mental therapies. His wounds have healed, leaving behind scars but the mental anguish he continues to endure is unimaginable as he has been diagnosed with PTSD and takes medication to help with anxiety and restless nights. In five short months he was ushered back to work as THE employer FELT time had come that they believed he should be back at work, rather than what was best for his over-all well-being. Within 2 weeks of returning to work he encountered a rat that scratched him the face. This encounter coupled with the fact that he just returned to work from enduring an attack by three dogs, sent him over the edge with fear and more anxiety. Shortly after the rat incident, Cedric suffered a stroke. The stroke was severe enough to hospitalize him for over 6 weeks followed by intense weeks of physical therapy with more at-home therapies to come. Now on top of these incidents, my husband had lost vision in one eye years ago due to the long-term effects of diabetes. And now the vision in his remaining eye has diminshed due to the stroke.
In The Beginning
This awesome man of God married me in 1992 when I was a single mother, doing my best to raise 2 girls. I had prayed long to God to send me a good man who would love me for me and would cherish stepping into the role of an already-made family. That January, Cedric and I met by chance while we were out dancing, got engaged that February and married that December. This December celebrates 24 years of marriage! He's made a tremendous difference in the lives of my girls (which he calls his daughters & they call him their father) by showing them what it means to be a husband & father unconditionally. In the beginning of our marriage he worked 2 sometimes 3 jobs to make his new family comfortable and if he couldn't fix things in our home, he would read "how to" books and got it done. We enjoyed so much as a new family and then 15 years into our marriage, his 1st severe medical emergency happened. Cedric lost a hard-fought battle with diabetes and lost vision in his left eye. Do you think this stopped Cedric from being a loving husband and father who would get up every day at 4am just so he could get to work safely by 6am, which is only a 30 minute drive? No way!
The Man
And don't let him know you need something, to be found or fixed! Quite often he would see a need and just take care of it, no matter who it may be for. Within no time at all somehow he would be bringing it to your door or volunteering to fix it for nothing more than a "thank you"! He feels that children deserve to experience the joy of making music - playing it or singing it. He's brought instruments, attended auditions and musicals for his own and extended family members and those not related. His love of sports transfers to this only son whom he has poured as much love and attention to him as one father can and more. He has coached him, his friends, his neighbor’s kids and so many countless children on the art of playing their desired sport and even being the carpool dad and they all love him for it. His love and passion for helping others garned him the "Service Man Award of the Year" in 2013, by the Rock of Faith Church (Chicago, Illinois) as one of his proudest moments.
But more than anything. Cedric loves his wife - me! To know that everything he has ever done is just so he can have a loving wife waiting behind the front door every time he returns fills his heart with tremendous love and joy. For him to feel that what has happened to him medically puts his loving home in financial jeopardy, only adds more fragility to his already-shaken being and mind.
Financial Need
Cedric is currently on an unpaid medical leave for at least three more months which means $0 are coming in. All of the medical emergencies, necessary life-saving medicines, travel to and from various doctor appointments and medical equipment have left our finances severly drained with more of these same expenses expected to come in the coming days which is why we are seeking IMMEDIATE financial help. We will use the funds to catch up on past-due living expenses, over-whelming medical bills and for current and additional out-of-pocket medical expenses that are sure to come.
Three large pit bulls attacked my husband, Cedric
in an alley in a community known for loose and trained attack dogs in April of this year. In less than 10 minutes Cedric was left with open wounds to his face, head, ears, arms, back and legs. All the while he was being attacked, he was fighting for his life and saying to himself over and over "I've got to get home to my wife". The vicious attack ended when police were called to the scene and shot and killed two of the dogs. The third dog was captured and transported to the city pound (and later euthanized). As one can only imagine, the scene was tragic and horrific! Rather than help my husband, passersby stood by and watched! This incident left Cedric unable to work for over 5 months while he endured painful physical and mental therapies. His wounds have healed, leaving behind scars but the mental anguish he continues to endure is unimaginable as he has been diagnosed with PTSD and takes medication to help with anxiety and restless nights. In five short months he was ushered back to work as THE employer FELT time had come that they believed he should be back at work, rather than what was best for his over-all well-being. Within 2 weeks of returning to work he encountered a rat that scratched him the face. This encounter coupled with the fact that he just returned to work from enduring an attack by three dogs, sent him over the edge with fear and more anxiety. Shortly after the rat incident, Cedric suffered a stroke. The stroke was severe enough to hospitalize him for over 6 weeks followed by intense weeks of physical therapy with more at-home therapies to come. Now on top of these incidents, my husband had lost vision in one eye years ago due to the long-term effects of diabetes. And now the vision in his remaining eye has diminshed due to the stroke.
In The Beginning
This awesome man of God married me in 1992 when I was a single mother, doing my best to raise 2 girls. I had prayed long to God to send me a good man who would love me for me and would cherish stepping into the role of an already-made family. That January, Cedric and I met by chance while we were out dancing, got engaged that February and married that December. This December celebrates 24 years of marriage! He's made a tremendous difference in the lives of my girls (which he calls his daughters & they call him their father) by showing them what it means to be a husband & father unconditionally. In the beginning of our marriage he worked 2 sometimes 3 jobs to make his new family comfortable and if he couldn't fix things in our home, he would read "how to" books and got it done. We enjoyed so much as a new family and then 15 years into our marriage, his 1st severe medical emergency happened. Cedric lost a hard-fought battle with diabetes and lost vision in his left eye. Do you think this stopped Cedric from being a loving husband and father who would get up every day at 4am just so he could get to work safely by 6am, which is only a 30 minute drive? No way!
The Man
And don't let him know you need something, to be found or fixed! Quite often he would see a need and just take care of it, no matter who it may be for. Within no time at all somehow he would be bringing it to your door or volunteering to fix it for nothing more than a "thank you"! He feels that children deserve to experience the joy of making music - playing it or singing it. He's brought instruments, attended auditions and musicals for his own and extended family members and those not related. His love of sports transfers to this only son whom he has poured as much love and attention to him as one father can and more. He has coached him, his friends, his neighbor’s kids and so many countless children on the art of playing their desired sport and even being the carpool dad and they all love him for it. His love and passion for helping others garned him the "Service Man Award of the Year" in 2013, by the Rock of Faith Church (Chicago, Illinois) as one of his proudest moments.
But more than anything. Cedric loves his wife - me! To know that everything he has ever done is just so he can have a loving wife waiting behind the front door every time he returns fills his heart with tremendous love and joy. For him to feel that what has happened to him medically puts his loving home in financial jeopardy, only adds more fragility to his already-shaken being and mind.
Financial Need
Cedric is currently on an unpaid medical leave for at least three more months which means $0 are coming in. All of the medical emergencies, necessary life-saving medicines, travel to and from various doctor appointments and medical equipment have left our finances severly drained with more of these same expenses expected to come in the coming days which is why we are seeking IMMEDIATE financial help. We will use the funds to catch up on past-due living expenses, over-whelming medical bills and for current and additional out-of-pocket medical expenses that are sure to come.
Organizer
Cedric Hawkins
Organizer
Chicago, IL