Earnest Lee Shamburger's Widow Fund
Donation protected
On Monday, August 8 at 5:42 pm, I received a call I never expected to receive. My father, the strongest, healthiest, most active man I knew had collapsed at work and was being taken to the ICU at University Health in Shreveport. This all took place while I was out of the country. I couldn't believe it. This man had never been truly sick and never hospitalized in his entire life.
I later found out that my father had suffered a massive heart attack while at work.
That morning, my mother said, he was in great spirits and in such a great mood. He was looking forward to having a great day at work. They usually spent 2 hours in the morning chatting and catching up. He prepared to head to work around 2:30 pm. He arrived at work around 3:00 pm and he was talking to his co-workers when all of a sudden he collapsed. His co-workers proceeded to do CPR and did not stop until the paramedics arrived. They saved his life.
They immediately took him into surgery where they had to put in 4 stents. He had a 5th artery that was 70% blocked but they felt it could hold off for a bit. They put him under a medically induced coma for the next several days to heal and preserve his tissue. That is when the waiting game began and we prayed that there would not be any nuerological damage. My mother and sister went to see him every day at the designated visiting hours: 11 am, 4 pm and 8 pm for the scheduled 30 mins (but they always allowed them to stay longer). They told him every day that I was on my way and would arrive on Wednesday. They knew he could hear them.
The doctors decided to keep him under the induced coma and keep his body cool for the next 96 hours. My flight was scheduled to arrive in DFW on Wednesday, August 10 at 7:30 pm. Once I arrived, my mother told me to just get some rest and wait to do the 3 hour long drive since I was exhausted. I told her that there would be no way that I could rest and I was coming in right away. My sister asked if I wanted them to come with me but I explained that I was going straight there and I could do it alone. I needed to be with my father. I left Dallas at 9:15 pm and drove straight to the hospital and arrived at 11:30 pm. Visiting hours were over at 8 pm, but his nurse was waiting for me to arrive.
It was absolutely gut-wrenching. My father, my hero was in the MICU with a respirator and several other tubes connected to him. I tried to be strong but I just broke down. I asked if I could touch him and they said of course, the nurse gave us some privacy. I held his hand and kissed his face and told him how sorry I was that I took so long to get to him. I told him that I needed him to get well and that this was the only way we could get him to relax and rest. He was always on the go. I prayed and I layed there for a bit. He looked so much better than he had all week from what my family described. In my mind, I had no doubt that he would bounce back and we would be on him about taking care of himself. I couldn't wait for that to happen.
That night was a very sleepless night for all of us. I got up, showered and got ready to visit him. The plan was to go to the 11 am visit. At 9:00 am or so, my sister received what I learned would be the worst news ever. My father had developed a lung infection and there was nothing they could do. They asked us to come up there right away. My mother almost collapsed. It was awful news. I reminded them as well as myself that they are nurses an doctors, they are not God and God can create miracles.
We arrived a little after 9:30 am. The doctor came in and explained that they had done absolutely everything for him and they had him on medications which was the only thing keeping him alive at the moment but it was going to be just hours until he passed. My world ended. We held his hands and loved on him and hugged him, kissed him and prayed that God would heal him.
On August 11 at 11:30 am, he went to be with the Lord.
My daddy waited on me to get to him. I am so happy that I decided to go straight to the hospital the night before. I would not have seen him in time.
The reason I decided to create this account (with much hesitation) is because many people have asked how they could help. My sweet daddy left behind a widow who he has taken care of for past 35 years. She has been a mother, wife, nurse, best friend, care-taker, homemaker and now, widow.
My father was 61 years young, living a very active life style. Helping everyone he came in contact with. He did not expect to die so young so he did not prepare any of us for this devastating loss. My mother is not able to mourn his loss because she is overwhelmed with all of the debts that have been left behind.
In lieu of flowers and food, it would mean the world to us if you found it in your heart to assist her with these final expenses and debts so she can have a little relief for a short while and she can mourn the loss of her life companion, the love of her life.
My father proudly served his country for 26 years, he then joined the post office and looked forward to retiring in the next few years. He never stood still. He always took care of everyone and anyone and I would love to help pay that forward by assisting the wonderful woman who also did so much for him as well as us.
Thank you from my whole heart for your consideration of my humble and very hard to ask request. She would never ask for anything like this. So I am asking on her behalf.
I later found out that my father had suffered a massive heart attack while at work.
That morning, my mother said, he was in great spirits and in such a great mood. He was looking forward to having a great day at work. They usually spent 2 hours in the morning chatting and catching up. He prepared to head to work around 2:30 pm. He arrived at work around 3:00 pm and he was talking to his co-workers when all of a sudden he collapsed. His co-workers proceeded to do CPR and did not stop until the paramedics arrived. They saved his life.
They immediately took him into surgery where they had to put in 4 stents. He had a 5th artery that was 70% blocked but they felt it could hold off for a bit. They put him under a medically induced coma for the next several days to heal and preserve his tissue. That is when the waiting game began and we prayed that there would not be any nuerological damage. My mother and sister went to see him every day at the designated visiting hours: 11 am, 4 pm and 8 pm for the scheduled 30 mins (but they always allowed them to stay longer). They told him every day that I was on my way and would arrive on Wednesday. They knew he could hear them.
The doctors decided to keep him under the induced coma and keep his body cool for the next 96 hours. My flight was scheduled to arrive in DFW on Wednesday, August 10 at 7:30 pm. Once I arrived, my mother told me to just get some rest and wait to do the 3 hour long drive since I was exhausted. I told her that there would be no way that I could rest and I was coming in right away. My sister asked if I wanted them to come with me but I explained that I was going straight there and I could do it alone. I needed to be with my father. I left Dallas at 9:15 pm and drove straight to the hospital and arrived at 11:30 pm. Visiting hours were over at 8 pm, but his nurse was waiting for me to arrive.
It was absolutely gut-wrenching. My father, my hero was in the MICU with a respirator and several other tubes connected to him. I tried to be strong but I just broke down. I asked if I could touch him and they said of course, the nurse gave us some privacy. I held his hand and kissed his face and told him how sorry I was that I took so long to get to him. I told him that I needed him to get well and that this was the only way we could get him to relax and rest. He was always on the go. I prayed and I layed there for a bit. He looked so much better than he had all week from what my family described. In my mind, I had no doubt that he would bounce back and we would be on him about taking care of himself. I couldn't wait for that to happen.
That night was a very sleepless night for all of us. I got up, showered and got ready to visit him. The plan was to go to the 11 am visit. At 9:00 am or so, my sister received what I learned would be the worst news ever. My father had developed a lung infection and there was nothing they could do. They asked us to come up there right away. My mother almost collapsed. It was awful news. I reminded them as well as myself that they are nurses an doctors, they are not God and God can create miracles.
We arrived a little after 9:30 am. The doctor came in and explained that they had done absolutely everything for him and they had him on medications which was the only thing keeping him alive at the moment but it was going to be just hours until he passed. My world ended. We held his hands and loved on him and hugged him, kissed him and prayed that God would heal him.
On August 11 at 11:30 am, he went to be with the Lord.
My daddy waited on me to get to him. I am so happy that I decided to go straight to the hospital the night before. I would not have seen him in time.
The reason I decided to create this account (with much hesitation) is because many people have asked how they could help. My sweet daddy left behind a widow who he has taken care of for past 35 years. She has been a mother, wife, nurse, best friend, care-taker, homemaker and now, widow.
My father was 61 years young, living a very active life style. Helping everyone he came in contact with. He did not expect to die so young so he did not prepare any of us for this devastating loss. My mother is not able to mourn his loss because she is overwhelmed with all of the debts that have been left behind.
In lieu of flowers and food, it would mean the world to us if you found it in your heart to assist her with these final expenses and debts so she can have a little relief for a short while and she can mourn the loss of her life companion, the love of her life.
My father proudly served his country for 26 years, he then joined the post office and looked forward to retiring in the next few years. He never stood still. He always took care of everyone and anyone and I would love to help pay that forward by assisting the wonderful woman who also did so much for him as well as us.
Thank you from my whole heart for your consideration of my humble and very hard to ask request. She would never ask for anything like this. So I am asking on her behalf.
Organizer and beneficiary
Sonya Jones
Organizer
Bossier City, LA
Maria Shamburger
Beneficiary
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