Artist Kevin Rackley

I am raising money for my amazing brother Kevin Rackley.  He is an incredible artist, husband, father, son, brother and uncle that would do anything to help someone in need.  He is the self-proclaimed healthiest person in our family because he literally never gets sick and takes pride in not going to a doctor.

Last week he went to the Emergency Department with extreme back and shoulder pain.  He was sent home with a suspected bone spur on his spine.  The next day, the pain was getting worse and his condition continued to decline.  He went back to the hospital and was admitted.  After several days in the hospital, countless tests and his condition continuing to deteriorate, he developed paralysis.  He had emergency surgery to remove a disc in his neck that had an epidural abscess from sepsis (an infection that spread to his blood).  He has been in ICU for several days and the cause of the original infection is still unknown.  Several days after the surgery, he is able to move his foot and his fingers a little bit, otherwise the paralysis has not improved at this time.

It is expected that he will need to be in the hospital for a few more weeks before being transferred to an inpatient neurological rehabilitation facility.  We are praying that he will again walk and be able to create art, but there is a long road ahead.

As you might imagine, an artist does not have health insurance or benefits that come with working for a corporation.  The bills are beginning to stack up and we are unsure of the future care he will need.  Please consider donating to my brother, Kevin, and his wife Valerie.  Both of whom would do anything to help others and are now facing their biggest challenge together.