Cody Ryan Shepherd Funeral Fund
Donation protected
With a heavy heart, I am writing the story of my son: Cody Ryan Shepherd.
It all starts with a brief history of my wife's brother. My wife's brother, Michael, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disease which causes progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. Duchenne is an inherited sub-category affecting fewer than 200,000 boys a year and currently has no cure. Michael fought hard and passed at the age of 16, leaving my wife scared to have children since it is carried by women.
Cody Ryan Shepherd, born February 22, 1994, quickly became one of the most important priorities in my family's life. At the time, Duchenne Muscluar Dystrophy was not a disease that could be detected right away. Cody had a fun, normal life playing with his three sisters until diagnosed at the age of 4. The signs were small: falling down more than the average child, using his hands and arms to walk up his own body to stand up after falling, sitting, or laying down, and significantly more fatigued than other toddlers.
Even though Cody was going through physical therapy, he began requiring a wheelchair at the age of 5. Through the years of therapy, his muscles began to deteriorate rapidly and underwent several surgeries to keep his legs and back straight. Cody went through elementary and middle school with good grades and even though his appearance made other children skeptical, Cody was able to obtain great friends.
Cody was 12 years old when he was sick and complained about chest pains. We took him into the hospital, where dispite all of the doctors and nurses best efforts, he got pneumonia. Considering Cody already had weak lungs he had flatlined four times, so the hospital did an emergency tracheostomy with a ventalator to breathe for him, and a gastrostomey tube for nutrition. While in surgery, doctors explained to us that some patients never speak the same agian (a robotice tone) after a tracheostomy. My three daughters were then overwhelmed with the thought of never hearing their brothers voice again. Although to our delight, Cody's voice came back normally after therapy.
Once we were able to bring him home, Cody began his next challenge --seizures. After years of tests possible diagnosis there was still no definite answer. With the multiple medications to prevent the seizures, Cody began to have more medical issues. Weather it was his heart, kidneys, colon, or liver Cody always put up a fight.
Cody has been fighting hard for his 25 years on this earth, and on April 8th 2019 he lost his fight to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Cody expressed to the family his wish to be buried and not cremated. As we all know funerals and burials come with a heafty price tag. But for my only son we want to make it possible. Today we learned for the burial alone it will be around $13,000 and the funeral will be around $12,000. With personal funds already being considered, we still need around $15,500.
Cody was the light in our lives, and kept us strong even at our lowest points. Even though he was dealt a rough hand, Cody always had a smile on his face. Any help at this time will be greatly appreciated to be able to make Cody's last wish come true.
We will be posting more pictures of Cody from throughout his life.
It all starts with a brief history of my wife's brother. My wife's brother, Michael, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disease which causes progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. Duchenne is an inherited sub-category affecting fewer than 200,000 boys a year and currently has no cure. Michael fought hard and passed at the age of 16, leaving my wife scared to have children since it is carried by women.
Cody Ryan Shepherd, born February 22, 1994, quickly became one of the most important priorities in my family's life. At the time, Duchenne Muscluar Dystrophy was not a disease that could be detected right away. Cody had a fun, normal life playing with his three sisters until diagnosed at the age of 4. The signs were small: falling down more than the average child, using his hands and arms to walk up his own body to stand up after falling, sitting, or laying down, and significantly more fatigued than other toddlers.
Even though Cody was going through physical therapy, he began requiring a wheelchair at the age of 5. Through the years of therapy, his muscles began to deteriorate rapidly and underwent several surgeries to keep his legs and back straight. Cody went through elementary and middle school with good grades and even though his appearance made other children skeptical, Cody was able to obtain great friends.
Cody was 12 years old when he was sick and complained about chest pains. We took him into the hospital, where dispite all of the doctors and nurses best efforts, he got pneumonia. Considering Cody already had weak lungs he had flatlined four times, so the hospital did an emergency tracheostomy with a ventalator to breathe for him, and a gastrostomey tube for nutrition. While in surgery, doctors explained to us that some patients never speak the same agian (a robotice tone) after a tracheostomy. My three daughters were then overwhelmed with the thought of never hearing their brothers voice again. Although to our delight, Cody's voice came back normally after therapy.
Once we were able to bring him home, Cody began his next challenge --seizures. After years of tests possible diagnosis there was still no definite answer. With the multiple medications to prevent the seizures, Cody began to have more medical issues. Weather it was his heart, kidneys, colon, or liver Cody always put up a fight.
Cody has been fighting hard for his 25 years on this earth, and on April 8th 2019 he lost his fight to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Cody expressed to the family his wish to be buried and not cremated. As we all know funerals and burials come with a heafty price tag. But for my only son we want to make it possible. Today we learned for the burial alone it will be around $13,000 and the funeral will be around $12,000. With personal funds already being considered, we still need around $15,500.
Cody was the light in our lives, and kept us strong even at our lowest points. Even though he was dealt a rough hand, Cody always had a smile on his face. Any help at this time will be greatly appreciated to be able to make Cody's last wish come true.
We will be posting more pictures of Cody from throughout his life.
Organizer
Todd Shepherd
Organizer
Las Vegas, NV