To all of our friends and family,

Many of you know our good friend, father, and husband, Bruce Smetana. He is a long-time Montana Outfitter guide and weapons builder who has guided all over the globe. At the end of August, he suffered a dangerous blood clot after a bad fall and injury to his leg.

This clot eventually went into his lungs, heart, and kidneys and caused heart failure. He was given less than a 10% chance of living. He was placed in an induced coma and on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) for 10 days. He then developed a dangerous bleeding ulcer leading to blood transfusions, life-threatening pneumonia, and then a collapsed lung.

Three times the doctors thought he was going. He pulled through with sheer will and tenacity.

He was intubated and then eventually received a tracheostomy. After 53 days in Missoula Hospital ICU, he was flown by Lier medical jet to NIACH (Northern Idaho Acute Care Hospital) in Post Falls, Idaho, to try and fix his collapsed lung and pneumonia.

He couldn’t walk at this point and was very weak. He eventually started walking a little at a time.

After many days in NIACH, specialized breathing treatments, and the removal of the trach tube, he was transferred back to Missoula. He underwent inpatient rehab, learning to walk and gaining balance. He is left with some injuries and critical illnesses that the doctors don’t know if they will heal eventually or not. He is still on oxygen support, which inhibits day-to-day activities we would normally do.

The medical bills are astronomical, and Bruce will have many more specialty appointments, surgeries, and medications. Rehabilitation is continuing and will be very long, up to a year or more.

Bruce’s wife, Elissa, had to refund all but a handful of hunts this last season, which has left a huge financial burden along with many other issues.

Any help or support is greatly appreciated, as are all the prayers received and continue to this day.