Everett Duchin Memorial Fundraiser

Since the launch of this campaign, we have been overwhelmed with the love, support, and donations! The great news is we have smashed the original goal of $3,500, and now are working towards the new goal of $15,000.  When we hit that goal, we will not only have a bench and tree in the garden, it will also be named after Evi! Feel free to read the whole story and updates below. 

Love, 
The Duchins

Hello all,

 

As some of you know, many may not be aware, Everett Howard Duchin passed away on May 4th, 2021.

 

 

Everett was born on January 1st, 1980. Born happy and healthy, he contracted bacterial meningitis when he was 7 months old. Unfortunately, the seriousness of what Evi had was masked as a result of being on antibiotics for an ear and throat infection. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after developing severe brain damage. Evi was unable to walk, talk, feed himself, and needed assistance 24/7. He was diagnosed with a life expectancy of 15 years, but with the love and determination of his parents Mel and Arleen Duchin, the help of his 3 brothers Elliot, Eric, and Jared, and their wives, relatives, friends, and healthcare providers, he blew past expectations and lived until 41.

Evi's life wasn't easy, he was frequently in the hospital (Children's Specialized in Mountainside NJ, Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Rahway, NJ, and countless others). He had to go through grueling back surgeries to help his Scoliosis, a g-tube inserted into his stomach to eat, a trach to have oxygen help him breathe better, but through all of this, he would still smile. If he cried you knew something was really wrong.

After Everett's burial, we all wanted to do something in his name.

 

We tossed around multiple ideas and finally settled on a memorial bench and tree at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Rahway, NJ.  RWJ Hospital was instrumental in managing Everett’s care over the years. The donation will include a memorial bench with a plaque coupled with the planting of a tree in Evi’s memory at the RWJ Hospital’s Serenity Garden. This landscaping project is expected to be completed late Fall 2021 or early Spring 2022 and will serve as a space where staff, patients, families, and friends can visit for tranquility and remembrance.

 

Many have asked what they can do. If you would like to be a part of this, we welcome you. The initial donations will be for the bench and tree that is estimated to cost $3500. Any of the additional funds raised are going to be discussed by the family and donated in other ways. 

100% of the funds will be going to the memorial(s) in Evi's name.

 

Evi's funeral service is below: see video below

If you are interested in just the highlights,

Marcia (Evi's Aunt) speaks here: see video below

Elliot (Evi's oldest brother) speaks here: https://youtu.be/h33sbsJThOY?t=226

Eric (Evi's older brother) speaks here: https://youtu.be/h33sbsJThOY?t=296

Arleen (Evi's mother) speaks here: https://youtu.be/h33sbsJThOY?t=473

We appreciate you being part of Evi's life in one way or another. Any questions can be directed to us here and we will respond asap.

 

Love,

The Duchins