**Please see the "Updates" section below for the latest about Sgt. Keene's passing and the condition of baby Michael Wesson. For all media inquiries, please call or text Nick Sortor at (859) [phone redacted]. Thank you! Here is the original story: After serving two tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan, Sgt. Michael Keene is no stranger to battles. This battle, however, is a little bit different.  I met Michael, his lovely wife Nicole, and their adorable 19-month-old daughter Adalynn back at an Open House in the summer of 2019. The agent-client relationship we established that day eventually morphed into a true friendship. At the start of the year, the Keenes purchased their first home with room to expand their young family, and now Nicole is pregnant with a baby boy due in mere weeks. <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603161341805773_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603161341805773_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> Michael's the type of father most strive to be. As a service tech at Audi of Lexington, he works tirelessly to do his part providing for the family while making sure he's home spending time with them every single night.  <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603163218444050_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603163218444050_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> However, Michael hasn't been able to spend time with his family or go to work for weeks. On October 6th, he tested positive for COVID-19. As a young man with no pre-existing conditions to speak of, his initial symptoms were initially fairly mild with a scratchy throat which quickly became a dry cough and high fever. A couple days later, when Michael's symptoms worsened and his fever hit 104°, Michael went to the VA. Instead of being administered treatment, Michael, a vet suffering from PTSD and TBI, was shamed for "exposing staff to COVID" simply by visiting to the ER and was told not to come back unless his fever reached an unthinkable 108°. On October 10th, as Michael struggled to breathe, Nicole rushed him to UK Chandler Hospital and he was immediately admitted to the ICU.  <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603163355124899_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603163355124899_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> Even at a world-class hospital like UK, Michael's condition continued to worsen with each passing hour, and on October 10th, he was sedated, intubated, and placed on a ventilator to take over his breathing. Unfortunately, Michael remains in the ICU showing very few signs of improvement and is unable to communicate with his family at all. His doctors are now considering a last-resort plan of placing him on an ECMO machine to take over both his heart and lung functions.  <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603163722175521_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603163722175521_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> As a combat veteran of the 82nd ABN (Ft. Bragg and Ft. Lewis), Sgt. Keene is unquestionably a fighter. but he needs all the support he can get to win the battle with this unrelenting virus.  Nicole's battle hasn't been easy either. As an expectant mother with a newborn due in mere weeks who is dealing with the stress of the situation while raising their 18-month-old alone, hours go by like days and days go by like years.  <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603161967441894_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603161967441894_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> Your support for this amazing family through this unbelievably tough time would be truly appreciated. Thank you. <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603163817713252_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603163817713252_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603163923753402_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603163923753402_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/52009250_1603163937983957_r.jpeg" alt="52009250_1603163937983957_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />

Robert Edgar

Becky Blackwell

Anonymous

Joanne Braley

Pamela Mitchell

Keith Regan

Dominick Zurzolo

Chuck Gabrielson

Derek Paine

Stacey McLaughlin

Doreen Ballard

Steve Palmquist

Jacqueline Ewing

Army Sgt. Michael Keene Memorial Fund

Army Sgt. Michael Keene Memorial Fund

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