Help Support the Atencio Family

Hello, my name is Joanne Bratta and I am the former nurse at Rolling Meadows High School and Teen Parenting Coordinator.

I am starting this Go Fund Me campaign to raise money for my former students and dear friends, Heather and Jeremy Atencio and their family.

I have known Heather for 22 years.  Heather helped me in my office on a daily basis at RMHS.  She experienced an unplanned pregnancy in high school and decided to parent.  I was also the Teen Parenting Coordinator for the District and encouraged her to attend the program after school.  She and her boyfriend attended every week from the time she found out she was pregnant all the way through graduation.  Heather became a nurse and had a phenomenal job at one of our local hospitals in the Labor and Delivery Unit.  She wanted to give back, always.  In fact, she taught many of the prenatal classes for us to touch the lives of the teens in a very special way.  Heather and Jeremy married and had two beautiful daughters as well as her firstborn, a son!  Jeremy and one daughter have been dealing with many, many health issues that have caused Jeremy not to work.  Their daughter has had surgeries and other health concerns that have impacted her life.  I met with Heather today (September 13, 2016) and she told me she was involved in a horrible automobile accident with her family.  Heather is unable to walk steady or at the pace that she used to, sees a pain management team of doctors, has 12 physicians that follow her medical progress and is unable to go back to work.  Heather’s life surrounded around being a nurse; that was her identity and she feels useless as she is unable to provide financially for her family.  She shared with me that her husband’s heart condition is grave and he was told that he has to be evaluated for a heart transplant.  The children are aware that they may not have their father as they get older.  Heather says that every day she and her children have Jeremy is a blessing.  However, they are going to lose their home in October. 

The money raised by your generosity will help pay for their many medical expenses after insurance.  Their medications, alone, are approximately $500 per month.  If Jeremy is fortunate and receives a new heart, the amount for his medications will skyrocket.  Currently, Heather is on a long termed disability from her work, but she suspects this assistance may be cut off as it is getting closer and closer to the one-year mark of her being unemployed.  If there is any possibility that they could remain in their home, it would be greatly appreciated.  Heather has always helped everyone out, never taking a penny from anyone.  Since the accident, she suffers from PTSD from reliving the impact of the accident and how it has affected her and her family’s life.  She was their lifeline, physically, financially, and emotionally.  I was happy to hear that she, her husband, and one of her daughters are receiving counseling services.  However, it is $360 per week, out of pocket. 

This is a National Honor Society student who made a difficult choice by deciding to parent her son.  She immediately enrolled in college and became a nurse to help others.  She is a hero, never asking for anything from anyone.  I am asking you to show her that it is her time for others to step in and assist her.  This woman is near and dear to my heart.  This woman pulled herself up and did whatever she could to support her son, and now her husband, and two daughters.  All she can talk about is that she wants to go back to being a nurse; who she is at heart!

She needs the funds as soon as possible to possibly save their home, their lives with medication and counseling, and assist her husband in getting a heart transplant. 

I will be so thankful as I know that this will give them all a sense of worth again.  They are praying for a miracle to heal her so that she can return to work.  I don’t think that is in her immediate future.  Please consider helping them to get back on their feet!