Ed Wotortsi... For anyone who knows Ed, you know that if there is a hand to lend, help to be given, a smile to be shown, or an encouraging word to be said, Ed is your guy. On January 21, 2025, Ed abruptly fell ill with Guillain-Barré Syndrome ("GBS") while visiting his mom in Ghana, West Africa. While walking her up to her home, Ed's legs gave out completely. After being rushed to the hospital, Ed was incorrectly diagnosed as having a stroke and so was not given the time-sensitive immediate treatment needed. As a result, Ed's condition was improperly treated, and he developed an acute bed sore. Approximately a week after paralysis occurred in both of Ed's legs, the paralysis extended into both of Ed's arms and hands.

On February 15, 2025, Ed's condition stabilized to allow his flight back to the U.S., where he was immediately admitted to the UNC hospital upon his arrival. It was at UNC that Ed was diagnosed with GBS, severe dehydration, and an acute bed sore, which will now require several plastic surgeries.

To date, Ed continues to have paralysis from the neck down with limited ability to move his left arm. Ed is not yet able to hold anything in his hands and is only able to move his arm a few inches. Ed has also regained some feeling in his right arm.

Though we are grateful for Ed's progress to date, he still has many medical challenges, the primary being the paralysis of his arms and his legs. Recovery is estimated to be 2 to 8 months. This is where we know prayer can turn a situation around.

What You Can Do to Help Ed and His Family:

To everyone who has shown your love and support through one or more of the above mentioned, know that we are ever grateful and thank you for joining with us in Ed's Medical Recovery Journey. What an encouragement it is to Ed and his family to know that they do not walk through this valley alone.

For those who don't know Ed but were sent to this page by someone who knows and/or loves him, please meet Ed....

Ed has been an employee of UNC for 22 years and is a member of New Hope Church in Durham, NC. Ed first came to the United States when he was 12 years of age. An avid soccer fan, Ed played soccer through school and was named All-Conference at Chapel Hill High. After high school, Ed became a certified butcher in Carrboro prior to starting his career at UNC-Chapel Hill. Ed is married to the love of his life, Joyce. Together they have a daughter, Bella, age 7 and a son, Jeremiah, age 2.