On the night of March 14, 2017, Melissa was rushed to Brookhaven Hospitals ER having suffered a traumatic brain injury following a head-on collision with a tree. Melissa required emergency brain surgery to relieve pressure and bleeding on her brain, and had been in a coma since. Through continued prayer, support and significant medical intervention, Melissa is once again breathing on her own, after being intubated on a ventilator for over 14 days.

 Melissa's passion has always been to help those in need, especially the developmentally disabled, and was working as a teacher's aide at the time of the accident. Having "aged out" of her family's health insurance plan just 2 weeks prior due to her turning 26, she was not yet covered under her employer's health benefits and at this time remains without health insurance.

While Melissa remains in the Neurosurgical ICU, medical bills continue to rise, and her long road to recovery has only just begun. Intense rehab on a specialty Brain Injury Unit is necessary to give Melissa her best chance at regaining her life and being able to live it to the fullest, as any young, beautiful, thriving 26 year old should. The extent of Melissa's deficits are not known at this time, and every day will be a challenge.

 I am asking my family, friends, colleagues, fellow caregivers, anyone, to please donate any amount of money to help alleviate the added stress of medical bills and to support her recovery and rehab. Of course we ask that you continue to keep Melissa and our family in your prayers, and remember that anything helps!