The Hann Family

The lives of the Hann family have been met with enormous challenges which can only be overcome with a combination of faith, strength, and community.

On Friday, March 16th, 2018, Bruce Hann (campaign photo, left) and his son Stephen were making their regular trek to work on what appeared to be a normal day in their town of Alliston, Ontario. The gents opted to get a coffee on their way, and made a small detour. On Thursday evening, the area had been hit with snow, and the drop in temperature had resulted in patches of black ice developing. For anyone who has experienced black ice, you know that it is something that is felt (often moments too late) rather than seen. Unfortunately, their car hit a patch of this black ice, causing it to skid uncontrollably into another vehicle, leaving them in a desperate situation.

Once emergency services arrived, it was determined that the men would have to be taken to separate hospitals. Bruce was limited to St. Michael’s hospital, as he is a Hemophiliac (meaning that his body has trouble clotting blood) and this hospital is known to specialize in treatment of patients dealing with this condition (others offer little to no expertise). Stephen was taken to Sunnybrook Hospital. For those unfamiliar with the distance from one place to another: Alliston is about 1.5 hours away from Sunnybrook, and St. Michael’s is close to 2 hours away in clear conditions. As you can imagine, this put a tremendous emotional and financial strain on the family as they tried to tend to their loved ones. Within the first week alone, the family had spent well over $1,000 on parking fees at the hospitals.

Following an extended stay in critical care and 3 surgeries, Stephen continues to face challenges which include a lack of mobility and constant pain due to a broken leg, rib and hip. Bruce faces his own challenges, including spinal damage, a broken hand, and a broken shoulder. At the time of this campaign going live, we are fortunate to say that both Stephen and Bruce are doing significantly better than the condition they were first found in. That being said, the road to recovery will be a long one, with estimates for Stephen being a year of healing and physiotherapy, and Bruce expected to be on a treatment plan for several months.

Stephen, above.

This family clearly has plenty on their plate. Stephen is a husband father to five children, and his absence in their lives and at work has increased the stress of these circumstances exponentially. He witnesses his wife cater to everyone’s needs with superhuman abilities, however she too will need your support. Cavell, Bruce’s wife and Stephen’s mother, has had to take an extended leave from work in order to care for her husband. Your support will help them offset the ongoing medical costs and will help them to manage their living expenses in the absence of paycheques.

The Hann family has truly been a different breed – angels among humans. They have touched the lives of many a person in many a community, and they are truly upstanding members of this place that we all call home. They have never withheld an opportunity to help, and from them you can always count on a hand extended in a moment of need. Now is the time to return the favour, and to band together in their time of need. The communities within which they reside have received their generosity and love through them just being themselves. This campaign is meant to show these amazing human beings that they are loved and appreciated. Regardless of the amount, the family is eternally grateful for your contributions, and prays that the blessings you receive for your generosity are magnified beyond what is imaginable.