Eric and Maxwell battle NF2

I’m setting up this go fund me account in hopes to help a dear friend/coworkers son Eric. Eric has NF2.

Neurofibromatosis 2 is a genetic disease that affects the gene that controls tumor growth.  The hallmark of the disease is bilateral acoustic neuromas (benign tumors on the hearing nerves).  Most patients lose their hearing in the teenage years.  Over following years the patient develops hundreds of benign tumors including schwannomas and neurofibromas on brain and spinal nerves.  There is no treatment other than surgery to remove tumors or radiation.  At some point in the patient’s lifetime they are overwhelmed by the tumor load. 

 Eric began to lose his hearing at age 14, he is now 35.  This was the first sign of NF2.  No one in the family has NF. Eric’s was a spontaneous mutation of that gene.  God led them to House Ear Institute in LA, where they had developed the ABI (auditory brainstem implant) that was the only hope for Eric to regain any hearing.  Eric has had two brain surgeries and multiple spinal surgeries to remove tumors that were compressing the brain and spinal cord.  He also has had a tumor removed from the back of an eye as these tumors can occur anywhere in the body.  The initial brain surgery to remove the bilateral acoustic neuromas left him deaf and without balance nerves and a facial droop.  Thankfully the ABI device was successful and gave Eric some sense of hearing.

Eric has always been positive since diagnosis.  He has always said “why not me” rather than why me.  He decided to stay part of the hearing world, graduating from Bedford High School and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo.  Eric and the love of his life Liz met in high school but did not date until several years later.  Eric and Liz have been married for eleven years and have a four year old son, Maxell, who unfortunately inherited NF 2. 

For the last 2-3 years Eric has had to use a walker, wheelchair and hand controls in his car.  But still persevered to work every day and maintain his home until the last cervical spine surgery on September 18th.   Due to many complications and the overwhelming tumor load Eric has been unable to come home.  He has not been able to earn a living since surgery and it appears he will no longer be able to work. 

Eric’s Mom Barb has always been a strong woman with unwavering and admirable Faith in the Lord, despite all the challenges she and Eric have faced. Through a captioning program which Eric helped develop he was always able to be a regular attendee at Bedford Alliance Church.

Barb’s expressed how Eric’s spirits have recently been uncharacteristically and understandably low and as a Mom it’s so hard to see her son this way. She’s mentioned how he has only been able to see his son once this month due to his condition and she said it was so good to see for at that visit for the first time in a very long time he was able to sit himself up and as she expressed it, “it was like a light that had lit up inside him”. I really would love for you to help me raise this family’s spirits. Anything you can do to help me give Eric some peace during this difficult transition and assist his family with a Merry Christmas...I know they would be forever grateful. Eric is a huge University of Michigan fan, has always loved video games, enjoys classic cars, his dog Maggie, and both he and Maxwell share a love for trains.

Eric and Liz do have health insurance through Liz’s employer but are still facing the loss of Eric’s income and huge medical bills.  As they anticipate Eric coming home next week, they will have the added expense of 24 hour home care givers which insurance won’t cover.

I would love to see to it that Eric knows his  journey has been a beautiful testimony of  Faith, Love and Hope for both Maxwell and all the lives he’s touched by just being him. I’ve had this huge almost overwhelming pull nudging me to take action for Eric and Maxwell, maybe it’s divine. I do believe God sends us Angels, maybe there’s one in my ear asking yours to help me. Lets lift him up with prayers of Peace and love knowing God as well as all of us are looking out for him.