Help Bert!
Donation protected
On May 19, Steve Berthel - known to many as Bert - was on a walk with his dog, Galena. Bert suddenly collapsed onto the sidewalk, in full cardiac arrest. Galena set to maniacal barking which caught the attention of two angels in human form, Meghan and Pat, who live across the street from where Bert was lying... dying. They performed CPR while waiting for the paramedics, who were able to aid in the retrieval of Bert’s heartbeat and get him to Bronson Hospital.
Bert awoke three days later to learn that he’d been sedated and placed in a therapeutic hypothermic state in an effort to reduce damage to his brain from lack of blood flow. Care for patients receiving therapeutic hypothermia is highly complex and requires intensive monitoring. The process worked. Miraculously, Bert’s brain is recovering well.
A CT scan showed blood clots in Bert’s lung and a shriveled artery, which looks to be a birth defect. It appears a blood clot broke free, lodged in the defective artery and shut off Bert’s lights. The doctors say Bert should have died 75 times in his life due to his active life style. They’re calling him an “anomaly.” Thus is born Bert’s latest brew “Bert’s Anomaly” to commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime (we hope) event. It will be a double IPA made with Michigan grown ingredients.
At this point, Bert cannot work or drive, or do much of anything. He is constantly hooked up to an external defibrillator just in case his heart fails again. He is currently focusing on recovery as he prepares for open heart bypass surgery to replace the defective artery.
Bert’s friends have put together this GoFundMe campaign to help him pay the bills that his health insurance won’t cover and to help with day-to-day expenses as he currently cannot work.
We are lucky to have Bert with us. The survival rate for cardiac arrest that occurs outside a hospital is just six percent - and even when a person is treated by first responders, only 11 percent survive. Please help us help Bert!
** Any money left after all medical bills are paid will be donated to others who find themselves in a similar situation.
Bert awoke three days later to learn that he’d been sedated and placed in a therapeutic hypothermic state in an effort to reduce damage to his brain from lack of blood flow. Care for patients receiving therapeutic hypothermia is highly complex and requires intensive monitoring. The process worked. Miraculously, Bert’s brain is recovering well.
A CT scan showed blood clots in Bert’s lung and a shriveled artery, which looks to be a birth defect. It appears a blood clot broke free, lodged in the defective artery and shut off Bert’s lights. The doctors say Bert should have died 75 times in his life due to his active life style. They’re calling him an “anomaly.” Thus is born Bert’s latest brew “Bert’s Anomaly” to commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime (we hope) event. It will be a double IPA made with Michigan grown ingredients.
At this point, Bert cannot work or drive, or do much of anything. He is constantly hooked up to an external defibrillator just in case his heart fails again. He is currently focusing on recovery as he prepares for open heart bypass surgery to replace the defective artery.
Bert’s friends have put together this GoFundMe campaign to help him pay the bills that his health insurance won’t cover and to help with day-to-day expenses as he currently cannot work.
We are lucky to have Bert with us. The survival rate for cardiac arrest that occurs outside a hospital is just six percent - and even when a person is treated by first responders, only 11 percent survive. Please help us help Bert!
** Any money left after all medical bills are paid will be donated to others who find themselves in a similar situation.
Organizer
Friends of Bert
Organizer
Kalamazoo, MI
