Hi, my name is Erin Riibe and I am the brother-in-law and friend of Derek Boes. Derek as many of you know is a lover of many things.... his family, friends, his dog Chaz, his career as an electrical engineer, fishing and hunting to name a few. Derek is always there to lend a helping hand to anyone in need, put a smile on your face with his humor, and is just a great person to have in your life.

Friday, March 10th, 2023 is a day that changed his life forever. Derek went in for what was supposed to be a simple, routine, and preventative echocardiogram to see if he has the same defective heart valve as his father, who will be having open heart surgery in 4 weeks to replace the heart valve. During the exam, there was difficulty seeing the heart, therefore, a contrast dye was administered. While the contrast dye was being pushed Derek had reason to believe something was terribly wrong and told them to please stop, which they thankfully did. Little did he know, this simple request saved his life. The contrast dye caused Derek's body to go into an anaphylactic shock, which is a life-threatening event. The medical staff intubated him, administered 10 rounds of epinephrine and started a continuous epinephrine infusion through his IV to run throughout the night, narrowly saving his life. Surviving this alone was a miracle in itself, as few people survive such a reaction to this specific medication used.

As Derek and family were celebrating his survival, little did they know it was just the beginning of Derek's fight. At some unknown point in the hours following, Derek suffered a severe stroke and was yet again fighting against all odds for his life. By this time, family members were by his side and supporting him through this journey. According to research and medical staff, Derek is extremely unlucky for this very rare reaction to have ever occurred and even more unlucky to have a stroke related to the anaphylactic event. The neurologist stated he has not seen this scenario in his 20 + year career. Just when Derek thought the horror was behind him, he suffers yet another stroke on Sunday. This stroke was an extension of the previous stroke, causing setbacks in his recovery.

As this story is typed on 3/15/23 at 1:30 pm, Derek is currently continuing his battle in the Acute Neuro ICU at Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Derek will be in the "recovery' stage of his journey for a long time, will not be able to work as an electrical engineer for an unforeseen amount of time and will rely heavily on the support he receives from this fundraiser. His entire life has been altered, yet he is hopeful and motivated to make his best effort towards his recovery. His doctors are hopeful he will be able to walk again in one year with extensive therapy, as he currently suffers from left sided paralysis and severe pain.

His medical bills will be very burdensome, and any amount is greatly appreciated. Please share his story and courageous battle so his road to recovery does not need to be a financial burden as well. We continue to pray for Derek, and pray that his medical team can make the best decisions possible for him to recover in a manner that gets him back to doing the things he loves. Thanks for your consideration and continued support during this very challenging time.

Thanks for your consideration and contribution,

Erin Riibe