Anna's Memorial Fund
Donation protected
Please help the family of my 12-year-old granddaughter, Anna LeFort, who lost her courageous 6-week battle with an illness on April 5.
Anna had come home from school on Tuesday, Feb. 21, complaining of not feeling well. Within 24 hours, she was rushed to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital emergency room for what had initially been diagnosed as pneumonia. And then, 10 hours after being admitted, her condition worsened and Anna had to be cannulated on an ECMO bypass machine (heart and lungs) and, soon after, was put on a dialysis machine (kidneys). She had more than just pneumonia; she had suffered respiratory failure and septic shock secondary to Influenza Type A with superimposed bacterial infection and a pulmonary hemorrhage.
After several sharp blood pressure drops which required resuscitation, doctors told Anna’s parents she was the most critically ill patient in their entire ICU and, perhaps, in the country. She was the most severe case of flu/pneumonia they have seen in years.
The family felt blessed to live so close to such an outstanding children’s hospital. Anna’s father had transferred to Ann Arbor with her and her younger brother to start school last fall. Anna's mother remained behind in Rapid City, South Dakota, finishing her commitment to her job which ended in mid-February. Her mother arrived with the moving truck containing the remainder of the family's belongings on Feb. 21, just a few hours before Anna came home from school feeling ill. Anna's mother was reunited with her daughter less than 48 hours before Anna was sedated and put on ECMO. Anna was not awake again. Moving boxes remain unpacked as the family spent all their time at the hospital.
Although Anna did not win her battle, the medical expenses will endure. But more importantly, the family would truly appreciate your support to help them create a lasting legacy of Anna's kindness in both Rapid City and Ann Arbor. Details to come.
And please continue to lift Anna up in your prayers. She is now peacefully in heaven, reunited with Shreve, her beloved Keeshond who passed away last year. He is sure to make her smile.
Thank you and God bless.
Paw Paw
Anna had come home from school on Tuesday, Feb. 21, complaining of not feeling well. Within 24 hours, she was rushed to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital emergency room for what had initially been diagnosed as pneumonia. And then, 10 hours after being admitted, her condition worsened and Anna had to be cannulated on an ECMO bypass machine (heart and lungs) and, soon after, was put on a dialysis machine (kidneys). She had more than just pneumonia; she had suffered respiratory failure and septic shock secondary to Influenza Type A with superimposed bacterial infection and a pulmonary hemorrhage.
After several sharp blood pressure drops which required resuscitation, doctors told Anna’s parents she was the most critically ill patient in their entire ICU and, perhaps, in the country. She was the most severe case of flu/pneumonia they have seen in years.
The family felt blessed to live so close to such an outstanding children’s hospital. Anna’s father had transferred to Ann Arbor with her and her younger brother to start school last fall. Anna's mother remained behind in Rapid City, South Dakota, finishing her commitment to her job which ended in mid-February. Her mother arrived with the moving truck containing the remainder of the family's belongings on Feb. 21, just a few hours before Anna came home from school feeling ill. Anna's mother was reunited with her daughter less than 48 hours before Anna was sedated and put on ECMO. Anna was not awake again. Moving boxes remain unpacked as the family spent all their time at the hospital.
Although Anna did not win her battle, the medical expenses will endure. But more importantly, the family would truly appreciate your support to help them create a lasting legacy of Anna's kindness in both Rapid City and Ann Arbor. Details to come.
And please continue to lift Anna up in your prayers. She is now peacefully in heaven, reunited with Shreve, her beloved Keeshond who passed away last year. He is sure to make her smile.
Thank you and God bless.
Paw Paw
Organizer and beneficiary
Bobby Dickey
Organizer
McComb, MS
Fran and Michael LeFort
Beneficiary
