Mike Hendren's Medical Care
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About Mike
I was raised in an environment of poverty and abuse in a small town in Tennessee. We were a family of cotton pickers. I lived in a small house with no indoor plumbing. I used an outhouse and I can remember my mother drawing water from a well.
It was a challenging experience for a young boy, but through some kind of grace, I developed a gift for business.
My career grew as I went from a top salesman, sales manager, regional director, and ultimately a senior executive with three hi-tech companies.
My last company, Ascend Communications, was one of the most successful in American business history. We grew rapidly from $12 million in sales to $1.6 billion in only six years and a market value of $24 billion. Ascend was in California and I retired early back to my hometown of Louisville.
Always interested in growing spiritually, I enrolled in a Master’s degree at Bellarmine University. When the priests there learned about the circumstances of my life, they inspired me to write about it. I wrote the book, Spiritial Capitalism, which combines my personal life and my success in business.
On the day I was to start a book tour, I fell backwards down three levels of steps in my home. I had suffered a severe brain injury and my family was told I had a few days to live. I did survive, however, and then started a horrific existence that included years in hospital, brain injury institutes and three nursing homes.
The pain and feeling of hopelessness is hard to describe to others.
The tremendous cost with this experience was magnified by a dishonest financial advisor who took advantage of my situation.
By God’s grace, I did survive but my situation now is very challenging. At age 71 and with the physical challenges I endure, I am unable to work and scrape to get by on a small social security check. My life is more challenging than ever.
Throughout my life I’ve always tried to help people, be it emotional or financial support. Now I find myself in the position of asking for that same support from others, which is hard. My daughter, Stacey, is helping me keep my bills in order and she was grateful to hear some past associates of mine wanted to start this fund.
I am indeed grateful to anyone that can help me get my life back together.
May God bless you for your help.
Most Sincerely,
Mike Hendren
From Stacey, Mike's Daughter
This is Stacey, Mike’s daughter, and I’d like to add some information about Dad’s situation.
Dad suffered a subdural hematoma in 2008, which has led to significant brain injury. Remembering things is a challenge for him, he is unable to drive, and uses a cane or wheelchair due to peripheral neuropathy. In addition, his finances were wiped out in a complicated and disappointing way.
As a result, dad lives off a small social security check, which covers his rent and groceries. He has no other resources. I live in California and manage and pay some of his bills, but I’m a single mom and public school teacher, so it’s taking a huge financial toll on me and I’ve come to the end of being able to provide much financial help.
I am so grateful for the people who reached out to us to start this fund.
Any money that comes from this fundraiser will go to making sure Mike’s mounting medical expenses are paid. In addition, he has a caregiver who helps him 15 hours a week -- she drives him to doctor appointments, the grocery store, the YMCA for physical therapy, and keeps his medicine, bills and calendar organized, in addition to providing emotional support and staying in touch with family about the things my dad needs. The funds that were paying her came from a brain injury clinic in Kentucky, but those funds ran out in March and cannot be renewed until mid-October. She has been continuing to provide care for him without consistent pay. Along with helping with the medical bills, I would like to make sure she is adequately compensated for her time, and this fund will help.
My father’s spirits remain high in light of his situation. I speak with him 3 or 4 times a week. He continues to write and send out resumes for consulting jobs. His business acumen is still sharp, but at 70, with a mental and physical disability, as much as I am proud of his hopeful outlook, the reality of him securing a job is not something I’m expecting, and the likelihood of him ending up in a state-run nursing (he has fallen twice recently, once requiring a hospital stay and stitches – we were lucky) home is very much looming.
To say Mike’s family appreciates any help given is quite the understatement. Dad said I can give out his address and phone number, so I hope people might consider sending him letters or cards or giving him a call. We would ask, however, that monetary help only come through this fund, as dad does not have the executive functioning / memory skills needed to handle his financial affairs successfully, and he has asked me to be in charge of making sure the funds go to his bills in order of urgency.
Thank you so much.
Blessings.
Stacey
I was raised in an environment of poverty and abuse in a small town in Tennessee. We were a family of cotton pickers. I lived in a small house with no indoor plumbing. I used an outhouse and I can remember my mother drawing water from a well.
It was a challenging experience for a young boy, but through some kind of grace, I developed a gift for business.
My career grew as I went from a top salesman, sales manager, regional director, and ultimately a senior executive with three hi-tech companies.
My last company, Ascend Communications, was one of the most successful in American business history. We grew rapidly from $12 million in sales to $1.6 billion in only six years and a market value of $24 billion. Ascend was in California and I retired early back to my hometown of Louisville.
Always interested in growing spiritually, I enrolled in a Master’s degree at Bellarmine University. When the priests there learned about the circumstances of my life, they inspired me to write about it. I wrote the book, Spiritial Capitalism, which combines my personal life and my success in business.
On the day I was to start a book tour, I fell backwards down three levels of steps in my home. I had suffered a severe brain injury and my family was told I had a few days to live. I did survive, however, and then started a horrific existence that included years in hospital, brain injury institutes and three nursing homes.
The pain and feeling of hopelessness is hard to describe to others.
The tremendous cost with this experience was magnified by a dishonest financial advisor who took advantage of my situation.
By God’s grace, I did survive but my situation now is very challenging. At age 71 and with the physical challenges I endure, I am unable to work and scrape to get by on a small social security check. My life is more challenging than ever.
Throughout my life I’ve always tried to help people, be it emotional or financial support. Now I find myself in the position of asking for that same support from others, which is hard. My daughter, Stacey, is helping me keep my bills in order and she was grateful to hear some past associates of mine wanted to start this fund.
I am indeed grateful to anyone that can help me get my life back together.
May God bless you for your help.
Most Sincerely,
Mike Hendren
From Stacey, Mike's Daughter
This is Stacey, Mike’s daughter, and I’d like to add some information about Dad’s situation.
Dad suffered a subdural hematoma in 2008, which has led to significant brain injury. Remembering things is a challenge for him, he is unable to drive, and uses a cane or wheelchair due to peripheral neuropathy. In addition, his finances were wiped out in a complicated and disappointing way.
As a result, dad lives off a small social security check, which covers his rent and groceries. He has no other resources. I live in California and manage and pay some of his bills, but I’m a single mom and public school teacher, so it’s taking a huge financial toll on me and I’ve come to the end of being able to provide much financial help.
I am so grateful for the people who reached out to us to start this fund.
Any money that comes from this fundraiser will go to making sure Mike’s mounting medical expenses are paid. In addition, he has a caregiver who helps him 15 hours a week -- she drives him to doctor appointments, the grocery store, the YMCA for physical therapy, and keeps his medicine, bills and calendar organized, in addition to providing emotional support and staying in touch with family about the things my dad needs. The funds that were paying her came from a brain injury clinic in Kentucky, but those funds ran out in March and cannot be renewed until mid-October. She has been continuing to provide care for him without consistent pay. Along with helping with the medical bills, I would like to make sure she is adequately compensated for her time, and this fund will help.
My father’s spirits remain high in light of his situation. I speak with him 3 or 4 times a week. He continues to write and send out resumes for consulting jobs. His business acumen is still sharp, but at 70, with a mental and physical disability, as much as I am proud of his hopeful outlook, the reality of him securing a job is not something I’m expecting, and the likelihood of him ending up in a state-run nursing (he has fallen twice recently, once requiring a hospital stay and stitches – we were lucky) home is very much looming.
To say Mike’s family appreciates any help given is quite the understatement. Dad said I can give out his address and phone number, so I hope people might consider sending him letters or cards or giving him a call. We would ask, however, that monetary help only come through this fund, as dad does not have the executive functioning / memory skills needed to handle his financial affairs successfully, and he has asked me to be in charge of making sure the funds go to his bills in order of urgency.
Thank you so much.
Blessings.
Stacey
Organizer
Stacey Hendren
Organizer
Louisville, KY
