Help The Reilly Family
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THE ISLAND GIRL AND THE NEW YORKER
I met my husband, Mike Reilly, in a small village in the Dominican Republic in 2010, where I lived with my family, working as a teacher, and never intending to leave the rustic, simple island life. Mike was this worldly, sophisticated New Yorker, studying Spanish at my school. In reality, he was studying me more than his Spanish lessons, and within a very short time I found myself wisked off to New York with a fiancé visa and married to Mike within months—a new life ahead of me with a dashing husband.
What drew me to Mike at once was much more than his charm and city-boy good looks, but what I was discovering to be man deeply committed to helping others. You see, Mike is a psychotherapist working with people who have through terrible traumas, helping then to move on, to heal, to thrive. I believe Mike chose this career from a place of deep compassion for people, something I felt strongly in him from the beginning (and something which made me willing to get on an airplane and fly to my new life)!
I see this compassion every day from the way his clients respond to him to the way he helps raise our beautiful 2 years old son, Corey.
FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Mike found out that he had stage 4 neck cancer last October. I clearly remember the day. I picked him up from the treatment center where he was working as a therapist and we drove for a while in silence. I knew something was wrong. When he pulled over to the side of the road I trembled, and held myself together, looking all the time at my son’s face. Mike fought back tears (as did I), took my hand and said the words which have changed our lives: “I have cancer.”
As we cried together in the car on the side of the road, the terrifying reality settling in, I knew this: whatever happened from that moment on, however dark the days would turn or staggering challenges awaited, we would travel through this ordeal together and emerge stronger.
REALITY HITS HOME
The days and weeks that followed, as we came to terms with this turn of events, worry not only about my husband, but about practical matters began to set in. How would we make it through the staggering bills with Mike bringing in the only source of income (I am a “household CEO—stay-at-home mom). Mike works independently with no safety net of sick leave. Even as the medical bills began piling up, Mike worked as long as he could, but finally the pain and fatigue from chemo and radiation took its toll.
Mike had worked tirelessly for years in private practice, but suddenly his practice seemed in danger of collapse with him unable to continue working during his many months of treatment and after.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Although it is difficult to ask for help, Mike and I decided to create a “Go Fund Me” page. Mike has worked helping others for years. Now it is time for us to ask for help. With the cost of treatment, his time unable to work, and so many other day-to-day expenses, just getting by has sadly become out-of-reach. With your help, we intend to not only beat this terrifying thing called cancer, but get Mike back on his feet, stronger than ever, helping his clients get back on their own feet as he has done for so many years.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful contribution.
I met my husband, Mike Reilly, in a small village in the Dominican Republic in 2010, where I lived with my family, working as a teacher, and never intending to leave the rustic, simple island life. Mike was this worldly, sophisticated New Yorker, studying Spanish at my school. In reality, he was studying me more than his Spanish lessons, and within a very short time I found myself wisked off to New York with a fiancé visa and married to Mike within months—a new life ahead of me with a dashing husband.
What drew me to Mike at once was much more than his charm and city-boy good looks, but what I was discovering to be man deeply committed to helping others. You see, Mike is a psychotherapist working with people who have through terrible traumas, helping then to move on, to heal, to thrive. I believe Mike chose this career from a place of deep compassion for people, something I felt strongly in him from the beginning (and something which made me willing to get on an airplane and fly to my new life)!
I see this compassion every day from the way his clients respond to him to the way he helps raise our beautiful 2 years old son, Corey.
FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Mike found out that he had stage 4 neck cancer last October. I clearly remember the day. I picked him up from the treatment center where he was working as a therapist and we drove for a while in silence. I knew something was wrong. When he pulled over to the side of the road I trembled, and held myself together, looking all the time at my son’s face. Mike fought back tears (as did I), took my hand and said the words which have changed our lives: “I have cancer.”
As we cried together in the car on the side of the road, the terrifying reality settling in, I knew this: whatever happened from that moment on, however dark the days would turn or staggering challenges awaited, we would travel through this ordeal together and emerge stronger.
REALITY HITS HOME
The days and weeks that followed, as we came to terms with this turn of events, worry not only about my husband, but about practical matters began to set in. How would we make it through the staggering bills with Mike bringing in the only source of income (I am a “household CEO—stay-at-home mom). Mike works independently with no safety net of sick leave. Even as the medical bills began piling up, Mike worked as long as he could, but finally the pain and fatigue from chemo and radiation took its toll.
Mike had worked tirelessly for years in private practice, but suddenly his practice seemed in danger of collapse with him unable to continue working during his many months of treatment and after.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Although it is difficult to ask for help, Mike and I decided to create a “Go Fund Me” page. Mike has worked helping others for years. Now it is time for us to ask for help. With the cost of treatment, his time unable to work, and so many other day-to-day expenses, just getting by has sadly become out-of-reach. With your help, we intend to not only beat this terrifying thing called cancer, but get Mike back on his feet, stronger than ever, helping his clients get back on their own feet as he has done for so many years.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful contribution.
Organizer
Dania Reilly
Organizer
Largo, FL