Bruce Ostrowski's 2nd Life Fund
I’m Deb Schalliol Schmidt, the sister-in-law of Bruce Ostrowski who is married to my sis Kris. On Monday 10-17-16, Bruce was mowing his lawn (and probably even his neighbor’s as he usually does) when he came inside unexpectedly while Kris was in another room cooking (she called me just a very short time earlier to ask me about a recipe). Kristi actually & amazingly (by God’s grace) heard Bruce gasping for air. She remained level headed and called 911 who coached her into doing CPR compressions. ”It happened so fast there didn't appear to be anything leading up to it. The 911 operator told me how to do compressions and I did just as she said. He was gone when I got started and I'll never forget his lifeless image for as long as I live.” (quote from Kristi).
Bruce suffered a heart attack from two artery blockages - one at 100% & one at 70%. He had four stints placed and remains in the hospital as of this post and has short term memory problems. His heart & brain escaped permanent damage while his heart stopped, due to the quick reaction of my sister, the police officer who had a portable defibrillator and the Nappanee EMT’s.
Bruce has been a huge volunteer in Nappanee, Indiana for several years, from coaching little league sports to helping with Apple Fest activities & just being there for neighbors & friends. He also finds the time to help his father in law farm in Madison Twp while working full time as a computer programmer.
Bruce & Kristi have two kids who are currently both in college, Craig at Ball State & Valerie at IUPUI. Bruce has supported his kids conquer many health complications throughout the years. Craig had cancer when he was in high school & Valerie had a couple of knee surgeries while she was in high school. Craig was also in a serious bike accident last year at BSU. Life for this family has not always been easy as you can see.
The funds that I am seeking to raise will be entirely used for Bruce’s medical expenses, his time off from work, Kristi’s time off from work and college expenses for Val & Craig, however we can divide it all up in order to help this entire family. I have no clue how much this set-back will cost so I am aiming high since Bruce won't be able to work for awhile.
Thank you for your time, friendship, prayers and your support for the Ostrowski family!