Aid Rick Bernard's Path to Health and Recovery

Rick Bernard has been a member of Local 528 for 33 years and retired as a Plasterer in 2020.

In September of 2023, he went to the emergency room because he was not feeling well. After a series of tests that revealed a high white blood count, he was released and told to follow up with his primary doctor. The morning of his visit with his primary, which was 3 days later, he woke up with severe pain in his back. After his check-up, the doctor sent him home with a follow-up appointment in one week. But, “if he develops a fever, go to the ER.” Three days later, Rick experienced a stroke.

It was determined that he had a blood infection that had traveled to his back, causing some damage, then to his heart, causing an infection in his mitral heart valve. The infection then traveled to his brain, which caused the stroke.

Rick, with Rosie by his side, spent 4 weeks at Valley Medical Center on IV antibiotics to get rid of his infection, then another 4 weeks at a skilled nursing center to complete his antibiotics for the infection. His stroke rehabilitation was put on hold due to pain in his back and because he needed a heart valve repair/replacement.

He finally had mitral valve heart surgery in July of 2024 and is currently going through cardio rehabilitation. After that, Rick will go to neurology rehabilitation for stroke victims. He will also be seeing a lung specialist.

Rick and Rosie have been married for 25 years, and their family is experiencing unimaginable hardship, with Rosie not able to retire until the spring of 2025. At this time, Rick needs full-time care, and Rosie would find great relief to have the funds to bring in a caregiver to assist Rick with all the daily activities that most people take for granted. A caregiver could implement prescribed exercises, monitor for complications, offer emotional support, and give Rosie peace of mind while she continues to work. All these responsibilities have fallen to Rick and Rosie’s adult daughter, Myah. Their family is in a fragile state, and any kind of financial assistance that could be used for Rick's stroke rehabilitation would be of great value.

I hope you will give generously and support Rick and Rosie during this unexpected trauma they are currently experiencing.