Team Mike and Jeri Bollwitt

Mike Bollwitt and his family needs our support and encouragement. After suffering a medical emergency last fall, Mike is facing an intense recovery.  Since Thanksgiving 2018, Mike has been in intestive care followed by inpatient rehabilitation. He now faces on-going rehabilitation and major surgeries.

Mike is an Air Force Veteran, commercial airline pilot, dedicated son, father and husband.  He is currently working extremely hard to improve his capabilities, but knows it will be a long and challenging journey.  This GoFundMe was created by Mike’s friends and family. 

Support Mike’sJourney to Recovery

Donations will be used to purchase adaptive equipment and home modifications to accommodate Mike. Funds will also help provide resources for additional rehabilitation, medical expenses and perhaps provide opportunities of recovery which might not otherwise be possible.  For the foreseeable future, Mike and his family’s time and efforts will be dedicated to his recovery.  As he provided for the family and this catastrophic illness has been life altering. 

Family Story

The family story began in 1989 when Mike Bollwitt of Monticello, Iowa and Jeri Knipfer of North English, Iowa got married  after he  graduated as a  Hawkeye from the University of Iowa.  Mike then served our country as a pilot in the Air Force, active duty and Air National Guard for a combined 27 years.  They raised two children, Alex and Julia.  They enjoyed an active lifestyle between family, friends, church and traveling.  Mike became an American Airlines pilot following his active military duty and recently enjoyed flying internationally.  Mike and Jeri recently relocated to eastern Iowa to better assist with Mike’s family.

Their lives took a drastic turn over the Thanksgiving holiday, while visiting their son at his Air Force base in Mississippi, Mike fell gravely ill and was life flighted to a Memphis hospital.  Mike suffered an ear infection which spread MRSA to his brain and body.  He underwent multiple cranial surgeries and part of his skull was removed.  Mike spent 34 days in the ICU in which he also suffered a stroke.  In December, he was relocated to St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for treatment and then transferred to a QLI rehabilitation center in Omaha, Nebraska in March.  Future surgeries are needed to shunt fluid from his brain and repair his skull at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. 

Recently, Mike has progressed to assiste-walking between his many rehab sessions.  He enjoys the dog therapy sessions and brings a sense of humor to all those around him.  Mike’s motto has been “Go BIG to Go Home!” And he tells all this therapists that his “attitude and level of effort will not be the limiting factor in recovery.”

Please join us in supporting the Bollwitt Family and their journey. Updates will be provided.