Donate to Aid Tony's Dad in His Stroke Recovery

Hi my name is Tony and I am creating this gofundme for my dad.

Over the past year, dad has been met with quite the uphill battle. At the end of December 2023, dad returned home from work feeling tired, changed, and got ready for dinner. Moments later, dad fell to the floor unable to stand back up. It was found that he suffered a bleed stroke making him immobile on his right side. He was rushed to the hospital where his blood pressure reached a height of 223/110. After speaking with doctors, they stated that they were astonished he was still awake and talking. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital and was cared for in the Stroke Center. Though his right side was incapacitated, dad trudged forward with jokes to the nurses and staff. He often stated that keeping things funny is the best way to get through something. By some miracle, dad continued to push himself and recover thereby getting released from the hospital and into physical therapy.

In the month that followed, dad continued to thrive in physical therapy. He ensured any challenge met was a challenge that he could overcome. Setting goals to simply eat or drink on his own. He made sure to test the nurses as well, trying to get himself to walk to another room on his own. He accomplished just that. On his birthday January 21st 2024, dad celebrated with us in his own home surrounded by his family. Dad was walking talking and working just as he was prior. Nothing short of a miracle, dad established that he doesn’t go down easy.

One challenge dad did face however, was income. Dad has been the “owner and operator” of RHODE ISLAND CHAUFFEUR TRANSPORTATION for over 40 years. Transporting everyone from the everyday person to and from the airport, to musical groups and actors to events, and going into high level transportation for government officials and occasionally former presidents and their families. Dad had cultivated a strong clientele throughout these years even becoming the first to actually roll out the red carpet for clients. In the ever evolving and expansion of transportation, the months that dad could not work steadily hurt income whilst bills continued to grow. Dad could no longer work later nights or back to back jobs while he gathered more endurance for longer shifts. He could not make further distances drop offs or pick ups for fear that he would be too tired and push his body too far. Dad continued however to press on, while handling the incoming bills and expenses best he could. Dad took great pride in not having anything overdue and exhausted his savings in effort to accomplish this. In June of 2024, dad was back on the road and back in action. Taking on both longer jobs and later jobs, dad felt confident once again that everything would remain on track. These hopes remained in tact until August of 2024.

A call was received near midnight on August 20th, stating that dad was on his way to drop off a client when he felt strange and pulled over. He then began to state it felt as though he was having a “ocular migraine” which is hereditary in our family and occurs mostly with stress. Unfortunately for dad it was a more serious and severe bleed stroke. The ambulance transported him to Rhode Island Hospital once again where he was rushed to the ER. It was found that he held a blood pressure of 243/109 and that the stroke had occurred on his other side. Unlike the previous stroke 8 months prior, this bleed was elongated and was not stopping. There was fear that the bleed would place too much pressure should it reach the spinal fluid. Dad, still attempting to make light of situation, continued to joke with staff while they asked him questions. Noting to one staff member, “who shot Abraham Lincoln?” “Your answer should be, I ain’t no snitch.” Through the jokes, there was much fear and confusion how this could happen once again after taking necessary precautions and medication. As of August 21st 8:03AM, dad finally came out of the ER. He was transported to the NCCU (Stroke ICU) for further monitoring and treatment. It was found that the blood pressure had gone down to 170/90 but was continuing to maintain a high pressure. Dad was unable to move his left leg or arm and was unable to be woken up by doctors. The doctors stated it was up to him and his body to continue fighting and would place him on a drip of blood pressure medication to combat the increased pressure he had. Dad continued to be in a less responsive state, only seldom showing signs of reactions to touch and movement. Amazingly, Dad once again, pulled through.

On August 22nd, dad opened his eyes and began to talk. I worked to continue to keep him awake with different questions, talking about his SUV (as he cares so very much about his vehicles), upcoming jobs, how he’s feeling, etc. Though tough, dad slowly progressed keeping his eyes open longer and talking more. The next morning he continued improving further by raising both his left arm and leg albeit far less than his right. Dad shocked the doctors who stated just as we had, that it is in fact a miracle. We move forward to today, August 24th where dad is talking as he had before. Unfortunately, his movement on his left side is slower to recover. Whether it be from his dominant side being the right or the severity of the bleed, dad has a much more difficult time holding and using his left side. While it is still early into his recovery, the return to work has dad worried which has been a concerning factor for myself and my family as it will contribute to his blood pressure increasing. In total, dad has lost nearly 12 months of work which would in turn pay for their mortgage, vehicles, and everyday bills.

Dad has always been a giving, loving, and nurturing person. He and my mom raised 6 children (maybe that’s why he has the miracles he does), had taken in my nephews and niece in times of need, helped make my own daughter to the wonderful little woman she’s become. He would do anything for anyone and has a larger than life heart. He will always put someone’s needs before his own. This time his own need is the most important I am reaching out to whomever I can in the hopes that we can put dads mind at ease so he may focus on his recovery and get back home once again. I have in the meantime taken on any jobs my dad had arranged so that there will continue to be some income. Anything given is much appreciated and we are eternally grateful. We hope that you can also send a prayer our way to make the next miracle for dad happen. Thank you for taking the time to read this and please keep your fingers crossed for dad!

Thank You,

Tony Ferro