David Connelly Medical Fund

June 12, 2016

We are updating our campaign name: David Connelly's Home! Medical Expenses. (I can't seem to change the campaign link of BringDaveyHome, but will keep trying to do it through the site.) Davey IS home! We have not ended our fundraising campaign because my sister and I are still paying his medical expenses from Thailand.

But we want to acknowledge everyone who has helped us to get him here. You did it! We did it, together. Your help--so many kinds of help--has brought our brother home in the truest way, a way that has nothing to do with international borders. Far beyond monetary donations, your prayers, kindnesses, and love have supported David, my family, and David's chosen family and friends through a harrowing, heartbreaking and intensely beautiful 6 weeks of hell!

They said he would likely die; but he lived. His kidneys failed; he lived. We found the blood (you GAVE blood!!); he lived. Though it's going to be a while before he can walk, he can move BOTH of his legs now. His kidneys are fine. The trach came out of his throat; he can talk again.  All the tubes are out. He has lost 60-70 pounds of muscle from an already lean frame. His whole body is waking up again and is sometimes in great pain, but HE IS ALIVE!! And so so so happy and grateful to be here. He is amazed and thankful that so many people cared so much. And still a little baffled. Which is okay--we don't want him to overwhelm more than he already is. We don't talk too much about the Campaign. We just want him to focus on letting rest and heal. And eat!

This fundraising campaign raised the whole of the $60,000 dollars it took to bring David back from Thailand to Canada on a commercial stretcher flight: thank you Executive Air Ambulance! It has also raised over $6000 toward the medical debt for David's care in Thailand, which goes toward David's Medical Fund. 

My sister Mara and I have decided to keep raising money to begin to pay off our shared debt of David's medical expenses, which is over $110,000. We are not raising our original campaign goal, just hoping that further fundraising will help us manage a portion of the debt.

We have paid for everything already--out of a refinanced mortgage, lines of credit, credit cards, and a loan from a generous family friend.

If you can contribute to this campaign materially, we would be deeply grateful. Prayers, kind thoughts, and meditations for David's continued healing are a meaningful donation, too, from any spiritual practice. Healing has a spiritual dimension that is hard to quantify, but love and kindness heal us. The first requirement of a miracle (I read somewhere) is paying attention. So thank you.

Annoyingly, only money works to heal big debts! If you want to send some  directly by e-transfer, to avoid the GoFundMe surcharges, please send an e-transfer. I will still post your donation here. My email address is [email redacted] . If you want to send a donation by PayPal, please send it through [email redacted]

Thank you, again, on behalf of David, his friends, and his family.

May all beings be free from suffering!

Kaz



Below is my original campaign description, from the second week of May, 2016.

Bring David Connelly Home

 On Wednesday May 4th, our brother David had a tragic motorcycle accident in Phuket, Thailand. Kind Thai people called an ambulance and got him to a local hospital.

A chronic shortage of his blood type (A-Rh Negative or O-Rh Negative) in Thailand has complicated his severe injuries, and internal bleeding has compromised his kidney function. Lungs both punctured, ribs broken, hip bone crushed, pelvis broken, 3 cracked vertebrae, muscles across his back severely torn and bleeding inside him. 



Yet, when our Thai brother Goong went into his room (unexpectedly, as Goong lives in Bangkok) David recognized his voice, opened his eyes, and smiled at him. And when his beloved Nong Mai came in, he tried to introduce the two of them—at least with his eyes. David’s spirit is strong. He worked very hard to get to Thailand and to meet Nong Mai; he does not want to leave this world yet. In the last year, he had worked incredibly hard to rid himself of both addictions and depression and to rebuild his life. He was well on his way.

David did not have travel insurance. He was a brand new traveller. So his costs are already $50,000 and mounting. When—if?—no: when!—he stabilizes, we will fly him back to Vancouver, but the medical air ambulance is also going to be a lot of money. 

Our families are considering every option: Should we sell the house? Remortgage? Borrow? My sister and I have already made our separate trips to our banks. We may need every option. We love him. He is an earth angel; he needs to stay a while longer. He was so happy in Thailand--it was like he was a new man. You know--sometimes travel remakes us. Reconnecting with his Dad who lives in Phuket gave him great joy. 

 We are raising money to bring David home and to pay for his medical expenses. If you cannot contribute, we understand. Please pray for my brother David Connelly. If you are not a pray-er (we get it) simply look at his picture and send him healing thoughts from your own stronger, healthier body, from the sun, from this spring of growth and new life.

In Buddhism, when we’ve done a good deed, even in thought, or received a gift, there is a simple blessing:  

 By this merit, may all beings be delivered
from the stormy ocean
of suffering.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be free.

 None of us are religious in a formal way—we have no denomination except for that of the earth. We are big believers in the power of this beautiful earth, the power of the spirit, and the power of love. (Thanks, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.) If my mother Jackie Henry were here, she would be saying ‘Don’t worry, everything will be all right.’ And she might quote Psalm 91, a prayer for the well-being of the family.

 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

 We love you so much, David. Please heal.

Please come home!

 

 
I am the writer Karen Connelly, in Toronto, last seen here raising money for refugees on the island of Lesvos. 

My sister is Mara Peterson, a forensic investigator of crimes against children with the Zebra Foundation and the RCMP, in Edmonton.