A Stable Home for Bryan Hammock’s Weak Heart

Hi, my name is Natalie Abrams, and I'm here to ask for help. Any day now I expect an eviction notice on our door. The first thing I do every morning when he’s not looking is check for that terrifying piece of paper. If it were just an issue of my own well-being, it wouldn’t be quite so terrible - I’d manage. The problem is the most important person in my life, Bryan, is in serious distress. I love him deeply and he’s not doing well.

At the beginning of the year, we discovered Bryan had a 70% blockage of the aorta. Because of the size and location, the doctors casually and repeatedly called it “the widow maker”. Surgery was recommended 2-3 weeks out, but due to scheduling and availability, Bryan underwent a robotic bypass at the beginning of March - two full months late.

Normally Bryan Hammock is full of life and ideas. His charm and stories are legendary, quite literally the stuff that movies and biographies are made of. He is without a doubt the most creative individual I’ve ever met, yet also the most inept individual I’ve ever seen attempt to craft literally anything. I should know. My job is to make works of art, and I’m very good at my job. But Bryan has this way of seeing things, finding deep, meaningful relationships and connections within everyday experiences. He loves fine art. And a moment later be just as passionate about the Washington Wizards. He studies everything he takes an interest in and is something between an engineer, philosopher, artist and daredevil. His ideas are so complex and beautiful that I’m continually challenged by how best to construct them with the care and precision they deserve.

Right now he needs your help, as do I. Bryan has been unable to work for 6 months due to issues we later discovered were related to his heart. He now faces a long recovery from major surgery with some post-operative complications to make healing harder and slower. The last thing he needs is to be homeless. But between caregiving and his illness, we need your help.

It often feels like it’s his world and we just live in it. Which is easy to do. He’s built like a linebacker and moves through the world like a bull in a china shop. His laugh, and cough, are so robust, he cracks ribs. And it’s incredible the wreckage he can cause, yet always in a fantastically entertaining way. He sleep walks and I’m going to stop there. Drugs have a minimal effect on him. He actually woke in the middle of his last two surgeries - both his heart catheterization and bypass surgeries. He argued with the surgeon during the catheterization. Who does that!?! Bryan is the definition of a creator, with an incredible spirit, and he’s fighting for his life now.

We decided a standard bypass operation wasn’t ideal for him. The process involves cracking the sternum, then wiring the rib cage shut, leaving it weakened for 1-2 years following surgery. (There is no way he wouldn’t rip that open.) Instead, Bryan had a robotic bypass, involving three “minor” incisions. Because of his size, the main incision more closely resembles a mastectomy scar. The cardiac surgeon who performed the highly specialized procedure said it had been the most difficult surgery he’s performed, nearly reverting to the standard operation five times before he was able to successfully complete the bypass.

Bryan’s had a painful and delayed recovery with lingering and debilitating issues, including the sensation of having a laser burning through his chest. He also has the feeling of weight and pressure of a heart attack continually since the surgery and repeatedly has to convince his brain that he’s not having a heart attack. The stress is immense.

On April 4th, he was rushed to the emergency room with a high pulse and possible heart attack. He was hospitalized again for another four days and the cardiologists determined he had a moderate to significant amount of fluid around the heart. While he’s back home now, his status is relatively unchanged. He’s facing a second heart catheterization and possibly a drain tube for the pericarditis. Any minor irritation sends his pulse through the roof, and I’ve done the best I can to maintain a peaceful and comfortable home for him. This has been extremely difficult. Daily I am falling apart at a time when there are no options but to continue on. So I persist… I will never quit supporting him through this.

The pandemic took a terrible toll on our small business and we only started to recover in the last quarter of 2022. Unfortunately though, since his initial diagnosis in January, my ability to work has been sporadic, and his non-existent. From the moment he came home from surgery, his need for care has been continual and I’ve been his full-time caregiver. I’ve been screamed at because of delays and lost significant sales and commissions. My small business, our only source of income, is in tatters. But that I can rebuild. The problem is with this loss of income, we now face imminent eviction and having already gone through the court system, I expect the notice on our door no later than the end of April. And the worst part is that, in my commitment to providing a low-stress, stable pre-surgery environment to reduce strain on his weakened cardiovascular system, he knows nothing about any of this. And honestly, there is no way he could take any of this at any point during this health crisis.

We’re so deeply bonded, I can’t lose him.

I am requesting funds to stabilize our housing while I continue to care for him till his health is on solid enough ground that he can be left alone while I go back to work.

Any funds we receive will be allocated as outlined below:

Pay off the past due rent immediately and stop the eviction process. While daunting, any amount is helpful and I am forever grateful for any support.

Current balance due: $6765.31

Build a small cushion for upcoming rent payments to continue caring for Bryan until his condition has stabilized.

One month’s rent: $2025.00

I am happy to accept donations via Zelle, as well, if you'd prefer that. My number is three zero three four zero eight zero two one zero.

I've updated our goal! We met the amount required to stop the eviction, which is wonderful and thank you so, so much! I've updated our goal a little bit as padding as we continue to recover from his recovery and complications. I added two months of rent (May and June), as well as $500 for two months to help with basic bills.