Chris “Sarge” COVID Road to Recovery

My name is Christy Letendre, and I am starting this fundraiser for my father-in-law, Chris Letendre, AKA “Sarge”. A loving father, grandfather, husband, coach, and military veteran with 32 years of service which included overseas deployments for Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom, Sarge now finds himself in the fight of his life due to a severe case of COVID-19. After spending 121 days in the hospital, two near fatal episodes, two subsequent hospital stays that included collapsed lungs and him being placed on a ventilator. Doctors have determined that for him to have a true quality life, he will require a double lung transplant and that the best place for him to receive that transplant is at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, TN. Transplant rules for VUMC require transplant patients to live within 4 hours of the hospital prior to transplant and within 15 miles of the hospital for 3 months following the transplant.

As you can imagine, this medical journey has caused great financial hardship for the Letendre’s. Sarge has not been able to work since August 2021 and Catherine “Mrs. L.”, a teacher, has had to miss work off and on for most of this school year thus reducing her income. At this time, Catherine will be on summer break soon, but it is very unlikely that she will be able to return to work in the fall due to the care Sarge will require when he gets the lung transplant. They do have good health insurance for Chris’ care, but medical bills are mounting, they will have added living expenses when they must move up to Nashville and their income will be reduced significantly. I am reaching out to friends and family to help with the ongoing medical expenses that they will incur from this trying time, along with their household expenses. Anyone who is fortunate enough to know “Sarge” and Catherine “Mrs. L.” understand what kind, giving people they are. Anything helps, and we are blessed to have a community like this to help with the burden of the expenses while Sarge and Catherine walk this journey. Even if you cannot donate today, there is a reason you were brought to this page. Please keep Chris “Sarge” in your prayers as we know God is in control and will provide for the Letendre’s.