Erik Bolt Survived a Brain Tumor

On 7/28, 33-year-old Erik Bolt and his fiancé Jordan set out for the Denver airport full of excitement for a much-anticipated family wedding. While driving down the highway, Erik had a grand-mal seizure. Jordan was able to grab the wheel and bring the car safely to a stop. Erik then experienced yet another terrifying seizure. After a ‘flight for life’ helicopter ride to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Denver, and a third seizure in the emergency room, a cat scan revealed a mass, larger than a golf ball, pressing upon Erik’s left frontal lobe. 

The couple was devastated to learn that the mass was, in fact, a brain tumor. How could this dynamic, creative and energetic young man be facing such an impossible diagnosis? Erik is the kind of person that never sits down, that never wastes a moment. When he isn’t working tirelessly as a sub-contractor, finishing custom homes for his clients, he is using his many talents as a potter, woodworker, craftsman and teacher. Some of these skills will certainly go into the “fixer-upper” the engaged couple recently purchased for their growing family - they are expecting a baby in January 2022!

Erik’s tumor was located near his “motor strip,” an important part of the brain that controls movement on the right side of the body. In order to remove the tumor without paralyzing his right side, Erik’s surgeon would have to perform what is known as an “awake craniotomy.” Thankfully, Dr. Angela Bhonen, a pioneer of awake craniotomies, was available to perform the procedure. On 8/3, Dr. Bhonen operated on a fully conscious Erik, successfully removing 95% of the tumor without compromising motor function. 

Erik feels truly blessed to have survived not just complex brain surgery, but the grand-mal seizure he experienced while driving his fiancé and unborn child down a busy highway. This event could have ended tragically for all three of them. While grateful, Erik still faces what could be the most challenging part of this entire process - recovery. Not only will Erik need physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, he will need chemotherapy/radiation treatment to ensure the tumor does not grow back. He will not be able to work during this 6 month time period resulting in significant income loss. 

While Erik was able to secure financial aid from the hospital, he was uninsured at the time. Therefore, the cost of the “flight for life” helicopter ride, the 11-day hospital stay, the countless MRIs, and the brain surgery will create significant medical bills. We have created this page to allow friends and family to donate what they can and share this page with their network. We are asking for contributions that will help Jordan and Erik get through the next 6 months of recovery. 

Donate what you can. Share this page with your network and ask them to donate. Please get yourself and your loved ones insured.


Thank you in advance for your generosity - we will update this page as we have more news on Erik's recovery and treatment plan.

Love,
Erik Bolt and Jordan Brown