Downs Family Emergency

On the morning of September 29th at 3 am, Hurricane Ian swept through Orlando. The storm drains weren't able to keep up and eventually backed up into the street, yard and the house where my sister, Brittany Downs, and her family (Husband, William, Liam (3 years old) and newborn daughter, Julia) were sleeping. Her family almost lost everything from flooding; personal belongings, furniture, and two cars, ultimately leaving them homeless.

As a stay-at-home dad, William cared for the kids full-time and started to repair their house. Nationwide Insurance declined their claim and left their family stranded. FEMA only helps with very few things to help with repairs, which is not nearly enough. After removing the mold floors and walls and trying to get the crawl space fixed, William got bacteria in an open wound. He was rushed to the ER after having pain in his back and numbness in his legs.

William was transferred to Advent Health Daytona and is now in the ICU with spinal meningitis (inflammation of his brain and spinal cord). He was intubated and sedated for days, leaving us with the prognosis of death or severe brain damage.

We thank God for guiding his medical team (neurologist and intensivist) after getting him to where he is today. William still has a long way to go and remains in the ICU. He will be challenged with long-term brain damage, and Brittany will be challenged to support her family emotionally and financially. William's road to recovery will be long, but my sister will do anything to restore their lives and help William with whatever is necessary.

I am asking you all to help my sister with the burden of repairing their home, hospital bills, long-term recovery, and medical needs. The breakdown of expenses to get her family back home and for Brittany to take time to support her family are below.

We ask that you pray for William, Brittany, Liam, and Julia. Brittany has been so strong through all of this, but we know she will need all the help she can get. Thank you so much, everyone. We are grateful for all the support we've received so far. It truly means the world to our family.