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Help with my Cousin Gary's traumatic brain injury

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On May 12, 2016, at the age of 33, my cousin Gary Dea collapsed at home from cardiac arrest. He suffered a traumatic brain injury from a prolonged lack of oxygen and as a result, Gary is unable to talk, walk by himself, feed himself, or take care of himself in any capacity. Gary's 70 year old mother is left to take full care of her son. She gives everything she has, but it is extremely difficult to take care of him by herself 24/7. She does not have any family nearby to help. Her husband passed away a long time ago, and Gary was their only child. They hire caregivers to help, which is quite expensive, about $2000-$2500 a month. Neither Gary nor his mom are able to work, and his disability check simply does not cover the costs. This situation is absolutely heartbreaking.
     Please consider donating to help my family through this prolonged tough time... There is more information below. Thank you all very much.
My cousin Gary was the only cousin I knew growing up, and we also happened to be the same age. He was one of the most genuinely nice and caring people I've ever known, with a gentle soul and infectious smile. He was smart, had a great job, loved to travel, have fun, spend time with his family and friends, and enjoy life. On May 12, 2016, at the age of 33,  my cousin Gary collapsed at home from cardiac arrest. He was rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately he suffered traumatic brain injury from the prolonged lack of oxygen, and his life, and the lives of his family, were changed forever. 
Gary and his family endured a very long and difficult journey while in the hospital. He suffered from seizures, agitation, disorientation, and several infections.  During the hospitalization, his insurance stopped supporting medical care for several months. When he was finally able to come home after 9 months of hospitalization, he was left with hospital bills and the need to hire care givers due to his total incapacity.Gary went to a brain specialty rehab hospital in Houston and showed some improvements. We all remained optimistic and kept praying for a miracle. However, even after months of rehab treatments, Gary is still unable to walk by himself, feed himself, or basically take care of himself in any capacity. He is also unable to talk, and it is hard to decipher how much he processes or understands. Frankly, Gary survived, but the Gary we once knew is not there anymore.Gary's mother (my aunt) is left to take full care of her son on her own (which involves transferring him in and out of his wheelchair and bed, feeding, toileting, and so on). She gives everything she has, but being 70 years old and frail, it is extremely difficult to take care of him by herself 24/7. She does not have any family nearby to help. Her husband passed away a long time ago, and Gary was their only child. So they must hire care givers to help, which is quite expensive, about $2000-$2500 a month. Neither Gary nor his mom are able to work, and his disability check simply does not cover the costs.This money raised will be used towards care givers, rehab treatments, and medical bills.  In addition, I know it will help ease some of the stress weighing on my aunt. Not only is she unable to physically handle the task of taking care of Gary day in and day out, but she is also having an extremely difficult time mentally and emotionally, and I honestly fear for her well-being.  As much as this fundraiser is for Gary, it is in large part for my aunt.  No parent should ever have to go through this.  The whole situation is absolutely heartbreaking, and the least I can do is try to help ease some of the burden on my aunt with this fundraiser. Thank you, with every ounce of my heart, for any donation. And of course any prayers and positive thoughts are appreciated as well.
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Donations 

  • Jordan Landrum
    • $250
    • 5 yrs
  • Jordan Landrum
    • $250
    • 6 yrs
  • Andrea Thomas
    • $75
    • 6 yrs
  • Natalie Haddad
    • $200
    • 6 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $50
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Jeannie Duffy
Organizer
Las Vegas, NV
Myung Dea
Beneficiary

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