Benjamin Richards - AVM Rupture Survivor

Hi, my name is Leota Barber. I am raising funds for my oldest son, Benjamin Richards. He is 31 years old and loved by everyone who has ever known him. He is the kindest human being who would literally give you the shirt off your back if you needed it. If you need anything, whether you are a close friend or just an acquaintance, he is the first person to be there, day or night. Ben is an assistant manager at a Sherwin Williams store in CT, but his passion is music. He is a bass player in a band, Split Minded. While he never thought he would lose one of his senses, Ben always said if he had to lose one, it would be his sight because he could still listen and play music. He has no idea that would become a reality in his future.

 

On February 13th, 2022, Ben’s life changed completely. What was an average Sunday at home with his family turned into an unimaginable nightmare. My son Ben woke up, and the day started like any other Sunday. He was planning a virtual race with his race team when he had the worst headache of his life. Within two hours, he was in a rescue headed to Hartford Hospital. He had lived 31 years with a time bomb in his head that could have gone off at any time. By 6 pm, they were on the phone with me, asking to put a life-saving drain into his head in the ER because they had to do it NOW. He could not breathe independently due to the pressure compressing his brain stem.

 

Ben had an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) in the right side of his brain. Basically, it's where he should have formed capillaries to exchange blood, but in utero, he formed an artery directly connected to a vein. The blood flow pressure finally blew out the vein and caused a massive brain bleed. Ben ended up with three drains in his head and had brain surgery to remove what was left of the AVM. He spent six weeks in the hospital and then another week in a rehab facility in Hartford. He continues to receive occupational and speech therapies and will have other scans and tests to ensure all remains well inside his brain. The doctors are amazed at his recovery so far. The only lasting effect seems to be permanent vision impairment. When the brain bleed occurred, it caused a stroke in his vision center.

As you can imagine, this is all very expensive, and while Ben does have health insurance, the medical costs he is responsible for are substantial. He currently has about $12,000 in medical bills that he is personally responsible for. He has been humbled by this whole experience and never asks for help. He is self-sufficient and helps others, but he could use some assistance. If you could donate to help defray the cost of his outstanding medical bills, it would be greatly appreciated. He would like to return to work, but it is uncertain with his limited vision if that will happen soon, and his short-term disability gets less the longer he is out of work. Ben is a miracle; he knows how fortunate he is. He is grateful for every day he has now. He is also quick to tell anyone who will listen that you should never put off what you can do today because no one is promised tomorrow.