Reggie's Medical Fund

My name is Jeremy, and I am attempting to raise money to help my parents pay for my fathers medical expenses. My father, Reg,  is currently in the ICU at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, GA, and has been there since Jan. 27th, and will be there until at least Feb.  12th. On the morning of Jan. 24th, Reggie suffered a brain aneurism leading to a "mini-stroke". He compared the pain to having an icepick driven into his skull, which was then followed by nausea, disorientation, and left side paralysis...It is not just a miracle he survived the aneurism to tell about it, but he waited for 3 days to go to the hospital because he thought it was the flu. Reg also works as an Advanced EMT with other incredible people at United Medical Response (UMR). And as many know, healthcare providers are the last to diagnose themselves, however I also know the man to be very stubborn! I have ALWAYS seen my father Reg do everything in his power to provide for our family all while never letting on that we might have been struggling. He held multiple jobs, sold beloved personal belongings, and would even use his various trade skills for extra money on the side. From carpentry to computer repair, honestly you name it and I am certain my dad could tell you a little about it. Not only was he supporting a family of 4, but he and my mother also opened our home to multiple different friends of ours who needed guidance, food, or just a place to sleep. They always asked, "Who is coming over tonight?" so they knew how many mouths they had to feed, and what food they could afford to do it with. Not only did they let a few of my friends live with them while I was away at college or living wherever, but they never asked for a single penny for food, bills, or rent. Reg has always worked in places where he could help people, and when he got off work he would volunteer as a firefighter, which then led him to take interest in becoming an EMT.  So in 2010, at nearly 50, he signed up and took the EMT course, sat down with the giant manual and studied anatomy and physiology, biology, and chemistry and gained his EMT certification with no problem. He then went on to gain his Advanced EMT certification, and the way he spoke of his EMT position, I had never seen him happier in my short 28 years on Earth with him. Reg proudly served his country in the Navy, eventually becoming a member of what we know to be the elite SEALS. After getting out, he started a family and worked his fingers to the bone to make a living in IT. My parents agreed my mother was to stay home to raise us, and he would work to make money, and still see us as much as possible. After a few decent years and a couple failing ventures, Reg took a job as a help-desk manager for a company based in PA. He would fly to PA every Monday, and fly back to every Friday to make sure he could spend at least the weekends with my brother Danny and I. That went on for about 3 years before his company agreed to let him work from home. That was a dream come true! He was finally making the money needed to comfortably support his family, while also working from home to actually be there with them. Then in 2001, when the economy tanked, everything changed. Reg in an attempt to save his company money, tried telling his boss that he isbeing paid
too much, among other financial instabilities. REG ACTUALLY TOLD THEM TO LOWER HIS INCOME! Despite his best efforts to save the company, they eventually went bankrupt..and even after my mother returned to work, and my father worked various odd jobs, we too soon filed for bankruptcy. Since then, my parents have worked themselves back to a stable place, and finally moved to Kennesaw to be close to their children and other family. Reg is a constant source of strength and inspiration to most everyone that meets him. He is not only a loving father to my brother and I, but he is also a father to many of my friends, Zeb, Justin, of course my wife Taylor who lost her father in 2006, and my best friend Jonathan who also lost his father in 2009. Reg would always sit down with anyone to help them with any problems they may have, without judgement, and with the compassion and patience you would expect from the Dalai Lama. My father taught me what it means to be a loving father, a devoted husband, and the  importance of being the most hard working person you can be. My parents instilled in us the belief that we could do anything we put our minds to and that we could achieve anything through hard work and determination. My parents have always done everything they could for us, and now it is my turn to do the same. Sadly, because of high prices for healthcare and abhorently prefect timing, my father was in between receiving insurance from my mother's job and receiving it from his own..so the at least 16 days he will spend in the ICU, 3 surgeries, and multiple CT scans and ultrasounds on his brain will all be UNINSURED.  I know I am asking for a lot of money, but the memories we have with my father are irreplacable. Dr. Gupta at Kennestone saved my father's life, and for that I will never ever be able to repay him. The nursing staff at Kennestone is the most caring and understanding I have ever seen, letting us stay overnight with Reg and making us as comfortable as possible, knowing how hard this has been for all of us. I have what seems like a lifetime of happy memories with my father. Sports events, birthdays, learning how to change the oil in a car and how to wire a room with electricity. All the nights we stayed up talking about the past present and future, stupid stories we heared, or things we experienced. I have laughed so hard I cried, and I have even cried so hard that all you can do next is laugh. I have learned the power of love over all else, to respect everyone, have dignity and morality, and to be honest and own your mistakes no matter the circumstance. My family's gratitude for any donation extends beyond words or expression. Any amount received is taken with the same love you feel when you hold someone close again after being apart for a time. I thought I knew my father before spending most nights talking to him on what I thought might be his deathbed, but this experience has brought us even closer than I could have imagined. I know now that his journey is not over yet, and there are far more people than just his immediate family that still need his love and guidance. He still has to hold his first grandchild, see his second son marry, and grow old together with his wife. Any donation is appreciated beyond measure, and ensures many more happy memories for our family and with our friends. Thank you all for your time, love, and compassion.

With love,
his sons Jeremy, Danny, Jonathan, and Zeb, his daughter Taylor, his wife Nancy, and his mother Faye