Kristen Cahill's Recovery Fund

On Sunday, August 13th, after an amazing two week vacation, my family and I were headed back home. Everyone was in good spirits, laughing and cracking jokes. No one could imagine the horrific tragedy that awaited. As we approached the Canadian/United States border, in slow moving traffic, my mom began to slur her words and her face began to droop. I could see the look of fear in my dad's eyes. Other drivers jumped out of their cars to help and by the grace of God one of them happened to be an ICU nurse. Together we carried my mom to the side of the road, where we waited for an ambulance. They rushed her to Vancouver General Hospital. Hours after being there, doctors finally explained to us that my mom had suffered an ischemic stroke. By Tuesday morning my mom underwent a decompressive craniectomy. After the severity of her condition became apparent, us kids realized we would be going back to Chicago without our mom and dad. Returning to school is hard for all of us, but it is especially hard when your mom and dad are a world away. It is going to be a long recovery process but we are hopeful that with the help of our friends and family, and all of your endless prayers, that we can bring her home and get her back to the incredible woman we know and love.

(To Dad:
You once told me that at some point in your life you must step back and appreciate the offerings people give to you, no matter how hard they may be to accept. You and mom are so selfless and loving and always so quick to help others that we put this together as a way of giving back to you. There are so many kind people that love us and want to help. Putting this together not only makes them feel contributive but also make us feel like we are doing something to bring mom home. We love you and mom endlessly and are waiting patiently for your return.

Emily, Liam, and Grace)