In Memory Of Gary Travis Ellingson
Donation protected
Yesterday, March 21st, 2017, Gary Travis Ellingsen, born October 31, 1978, was stolen from us, legally declared brain dead, the victim of a burst aneurysm in his brain. He was taken without warning. He was taken without reason. A mere 38 years old. A dedicated and hard working family man, a devoted and proud father to his beautiful son Brinnon Lee Ellingsen, and a loving devoted partner to his girlfriend Angela Springer. He is also survivied by his Parents Mary Neil and Gaylen Ellingsen, his sisters Myindi Pruiksma and Danni Green and his brothers Charles Lindberg and Micheal Hancox.
Gary loved his family. He loved his friends. He had the biggest heart of anyone I ever met. He was hard working, and loyal, and if you were his friend, you never had to ask twice for help.
This GoFundMe is being created to help provide for his final expenses, final bills, and to help care for his beloved Angela and his precious son Brinnon. Please donate if you can, and please share this campaign. Every dollar helps. Every dollar is appreciated more than you know.
What Happened (As told by Angela)
Gary started complaining about his head hurting on Saturday, March 18th and he thought it was just a pinched nerve in his neck and was going to have the chiropractor fix it on Monday. On Sunday the 19th it was getting much worse throughout the day and he started experiencing light sensitivity around 10pm that night, then began throwing up around 2am. He wouldn't go to the ER thinking they couldn't do anything for him anyway.
He didn't sleep well at all Sunday night and by Monday morning March 20th his left eye was so swollen, like he had been punched in a fight! He said he would drive himself to the hospital while I was getting ready for work and we had mom come over for to watch the baby.
He hit a parked car, smashing it into another parked car on the way to the ER! The police came and finished helping him get safely to the hospital. They called me saying they are helicoptering him to Harborview with a large aneurysm that is rupturing!
They told me on the phone that he was in for surgery, but when I got there they only did the assessment surgery and were going to drill for drainage which happened right in the room and seemed like no big deal! He was up and we talked with the doctors together and they wanted to assemble the "A" team and Thursday the 23rd of March would be the day, so they could check to see how he was reacting to the platelet medicine (as not all respond the same) and if they had to change the meds then they had a day to do that.
He was up, being his normal happy self, hungry and he ate well! He made jokes with us. His eye swelling was down and his speech wasn't slurred anymore. We thought he would be ok. Then, at 1:30am, they came and woke me up in the waiting room saying that his golf ball aneurysm ruptured the rest and cause a massive stroke that he wouldnt fully recover from. My world shattered. My heart broke. After that the drain got a blood clot and wouldnt work properly, then slowly his brain continued to die over the other half then down to the brain stem and beyond our belief, he was pronounced legally dead yesterday. As he wished, they are keeping him on life support until Friday so they can contact the people who will be receiving his organ donations. He felt very very strongly about donating anything that could help someone else. He was always thinking of others.
We have all been saying our goodbyes, we are heartbroken. This is so unfair and was not supposed to happen!
His funeral will be on Sunday and the burial on Monday down in his hometown of South Bend then we will do something for the Port Angeles group within the next two weeks.
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I want to share some pictures now that were very special to Gary, and to Angela. Pictures that show the amazing person he was. He will be deeply deeply missed.
Rest well Gary. We were all so lucky to know you. We will never ever forget you!
Gary loved his family. He loved his friends. He had the biggest heart of anyone I ever met. He was hard working, and loyal, and if you were his friend, you never had to ask twice for help.
This GoFundMe is being created to help provide for his final expenses, final bills, and to help care for his beloved Angela and his precious son Brinnon. Please donate if you can, and please share this campaign. Every dollar helps. Every dollar is appreciated more than you know.
What Happened (As told by Angela)
Gary started complaining about his head hurting on Saturday, March 18th and he thought it was just a pinched nerve in his neck and was going to have the chiropractor fix it on Monday. On Sunday the 19th it was getting much worse throughout the day and he started experiencing light sensitivity around 10pm that night, then began throwing up around 2am. He wouldn't go to the ER thinking they couldn't do anything for him anyway.
He didn't sleep well at all Sunday night and by Monday morning March 20th his left eye was so swollen, like he had been punched in a fight! He said he would drive himself to the hospital while I was getting ready for work and we had mom come over for to watch the baby.
He hit a parked car, smashing it into another parked car on the way to the ER! The police came and finished helping him get safely to the hospital. They called me saying they are helicoptering him to Harborview with a large aneurysm that is rupturing!
They told me on the phone that he was in for surgery, but when I got there they only did the assessment surgery and were going to drill for drainage which happened right in the room and seemed like no big deal! He was up and we talked with the doctors together and they wanted to assemble the "A" team and Thursday the 23rd of March would be the day, so they could check to see how he was reacting to the platelet medicine (as not all respond the same) and if they had to change the meds then they had a day to do that.
He was up, being his normal happy self, hungry and he ate well! He made jokes with us. His eye swelling was down and his speech wasn't slurred anymore. We thought he would be ok. Then, at 1:30am, they came and woke me up in the waiting room saying that his golf ball aneurysm ruptured the rest and cause a massive stroke that he wouldnt fully recover from. My world shattered. My heart broke. After that the drain got a blood clot and wouldnt work properly, then slowly his brain continued to die over the other half then down to the brain stem and beyond our belief, he was pronounced legally dead yesterday. As he wished, they are keeping him on life support until Friday so they can contact the people who will be receiving his organ donations. He felt very very strongly about donating anything that could help someone else. He was always thinking of others.
We have all been saying our goodbyes, we are heartbroken. This is so unfair and was not supposed to happen!
His funeral will be on Sunday and the burial on Monday down in his hometown of South Bend then we will do something for the Port Angeles group within the next two weeks.
********************************************************
I want to share some pictures now that were very special to Gary, and to Angela. Pictures that show the amazing person he was. He will be deeply deeply missed.
Rest well Gary. We were all so lucky to know you. We will never ever forget you!
Organizer
Angela Springer
Organizer
Port Angeles, WA
