The down and dirty: On September 26th Aron went into Urgent Care for what we thought might be a really nasty case of the flu. The doctors quickly realized we were dealing with something more serious and rightly sent us to the ER at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC. They quickly diagnosed Aron with an aneurysm and brain bleed, a potentially life-threatening condition. The next morning they were able to embolize the bleed and get him to a more stable place. He is currently in the ICU monitoring how his body responds to this intervention. His vitals continue to be in a precarious state. He will likely need to be in the hospital for at least two weeks, potentially longer. After discharge from the hospital he will need supports and time to heal and rehab from this medical emergency before he is able to return to his normal daily life. While he does have health insurance (thank goodness!) we are looking to raise funds to cover medical costs not covered by insurance and loss of income while he is recovering. Any amount you are able to share, be it $5, $50 or $500, is greatly appreciated. Over the years I have donated to countless GoFundMe efforts, sometimes people close to me and other times people whose stories touched me. It always felt good to know that while our society doesn't necessarily have great safety nets we can come together (much like the barn raisings from the past) and help support one another in times of need. I never thought I would be in the place to be creating one for a loved one. It is truly a humbling place to be!

A bit more background on my brother Aron...

Aron relocated to Asheville from central Oregon (his home for over two decades) a little over two years ago to be closer to family and start a new chapter in his life. It was a courageous move that took tenacity and a leap of faith. During this time he has grown fond of the old mountains of the Appalachia and exploring our lakes on his paddle board. He was able to find a job with a local company, Mother Earth, which is a local grocery delivery service that provides fresh, organic, and sustainably sourced food from Western North Carolina farms and artisans to homes in the region. After Hurricane Helene, Mother Earth received grant money to provide even more food to people facing food scarcity. This past spring the Trump administration made cuts to that funding which resulted in Aron, and many of his co-workers that he had grown fond of, being laid off. This has been a very stressful few month for him- being unemployed and concerned about paying his bills. I'm guessing that stress is at least part of what contributed to this medical event. Recently he was able to find a new job, which he started two weeks ago, but has not worked long enough to qualify for any sort of disability assistance. I reached out to his employer to share the news and they said he would have a place when he recovers (they were very impressed by his work ethic and presence).

Aron is truly a beautiful human. He is sensitive, creative, and so, so silly. He is an amazing Uncle to Ansel, and also the source of Ansel's middle name. I love that Ansel is surrounded by men like him that can share feelings and what it means to be vulnerable. Aron is a gifted musician and can play more instruments than I can name. He has played in several bands over the years (including the UW marching band, go Dawgs!), enjoys jamming and making weird tunes with friends and by himself. He loves being outside, flying his drone, playing video games, and capturing breath taking pictures. We love to cook together and many times when he visits for 'family dinner' he will bring a loaf of his homemade sourdough bread. Aron is a devoted 'cat-dad' and even built a catio for his two big boys to get some fresh air.

While he considers himself a bit of an odd-ball/hermit/loner I am always amazed at how present and caring he is when he is with other people. My greatest hope for this GoFundMe is that he is able to gain some much needed financial assistance, but also feel that support from all of us other humans (odd-ball or not) that know what its like to be down on one's luck. I appreciate all of the support and well wishes from people that have known him, past and present, and will post updates here on how he is doing.