Help Alex Recover from a Life-Changing Accident

Hi, my name is Kim Haverty, I am fundraising on behalf of my son in law, Alex Drake. On September 24, 2021, Alex, who was an electrician, just finish a job and was heading to his next job in the company van when a car, whose driver was texting, went through a red light. This car T-Boned Alex’s work van then proceeded to hit 2 other cars. All 4 vehicles were totaled. Alex had suffered back, leg and knee injuries, he was taken by ambulance to North Suburban Medical Center in Thornton Colorado, where he was placed in a phlebotomy chair (they had no “beds”). Due to having no room/beds, they gave him knee stabilizer and sent him home. He was told to follow up with the worker comp doctors. He went home with a contusion larger than a softball on this knee. Around October 7, 2021, Melissa, his wife, noticed that his leg was very hot to the touch and his foot was turning purple, she made an appointment to have Alex seen by a doctor. The Doctor told Alex and Missie that there is nothing wrong with his leg, he is not using it enough, this was not the case, it was an extensive DVT aka a blood clot. On October 15,2021 that blood clot broke off and traveled to his lungs. That doctors’ actions almost cost Alex his life that day. This clot was blocking 80% of one lung and 100% of the other lung. He was in the ICU for a week where they inserted 2 tPA catheters and started thrombosis therapy to dissolve this clot. The doctors do not know how he survived; they told Missie he is a walking miracle. When he was discharged from the hospital, he was told that the right side of his heart was damaged due to this blood clot, he will be required to be on oxygen 24/7 starting at 2 liters, blood thinners, heart medication and pain medication. Keep in mind he still was suffering from a back pain, but the above issues were more life threatening.

September 2022, since he was showing no signs of improving his doctors thought it would be best if he moved to a lower altitude, stating that there is a thicker mix of oxygen.

At this point he was he on 4 liters of oxygen 24/7. When they told me this, I insisted that they move back to Pittsburgh where I can help with Alex’s care or help watch Keira so they can go to many of his doctor appointments. Plans were made to have Alex and my 3-year-old granddaughter fly nonstop to Pittsburgh, (Alex could not handle a long drive due to his back) and Missie (my daughter) and I would drive back in their SUV packed with only their necessities and two dogs. After a few months living in Pittsburgh, Alex did not have to use oxygen 24/7, he only needed it while sleeping and when mobile. His new doctors where now comfortable on focusing on his back since his lungs and heart were starting to heal, however, he will never be able to hold down any kind of job, due to the inability to sit up or walk due to his chronic pain.

Reason for the GoFundMe request.

In December 2022 Worker compensation approved a spinal cord stimulator to be surgically implanted into his back, this was a very expensive procedure that the hospital will not do without an approval. The surgery took place on February 2023. Now his workers compensation insurance company (Amerisure) is refusing to pay for the device and surgery, they are also refusing to pay for any future treatments that he may need due to this accident.

Amerisure halted his biweekly compensation payments. This has caused Alex and Melissa financial hardship. They have drained their life’s savings and maxed out their credit cards. Missie works all overtime hours that is available at her current job. She is in the process of looking for a second part time job to just supplement this loss of income.

Any and all funds will help with day to day expensive and medical bills.