Raising Money for Poppy!

I know I’m not the only one who has ever had to deal with a family that fell apart. Most of us are clinging to broken pieces and just trying to feel like we belong. This world can be really lonely and scary because family seems to mean less and less. 

I have been fortunate enough to know someone who made me feel like I wasn’t alone through some pretty dark times. Whether you know him as Jim or Poppy, I think those of us who know Mr. Munchel would agree that he’s always made us feel like family. It never mattered how different we were, how odd or strange, Jim has always done whatever he could to make people feel welcome. Valued. He’d go out of his way to make you laugh, bend over backwards to brighten your day. Jim always takes care of everyone around him, whether it’s buying lunch for a store full of people or just letting you know you did a good job that day. 

Over the past few months, Jim’s had a horrific experience. He thought it was a stomach bug when the symptoms began, but a few days passed with no improvement. He ended up going to the emergency room at Geisinger Holy Spirit, where they immediately decided to have him airlifted to Hershey Medical Center. He was told that if he had waited any longer to seek medical attention, he wouldn’t still be with us. Fortunately, the doctors at Hershey Medical were able to work quickly to save him. The stomach bug he thought he had turned out to be a disease known as Fournier Gangrene, as well as sepsis. After multiple surgeries and spending the better part of two months in the hospital, Jim is thankfully on the road to recovery, but we almost lost him. 

Fournier Gangrene is an infection in the scrotum, penis, or perineum. Due to the intensity of the infection and severe swelling, nearly 60% of the area had to be removed. 

Now is our chance to return all the kindness Jim has shown us. It’s our turn to show him what it feels like to be taken care of and let him know we’re here for him in this difficult time. This page is dedicated to helping Jim cover the costs of his medical expenses and giving back that love he shows the world each day.