My name is Angelique, and I’m a 44-year-old mom with a big, loving family—two young children at home (ages 10 and 11), four adult children, a grandbaby, and two more grandbabies on the way. Life changed dramatically for us after I contracted COVID in October. What started as a tough illness quickly became a series of life-threatening events: in November, I suffered three heart attacks, and on Christmas Eve, I had a cardioembolic stroke. By January, I needed a pacemaker and defibrillator, and doctors discovered a brain aneurysm while I was hospitalized for the entire month.

February brought a second stroke, and after another long hospital stay, I was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure. My heart’s ejection fraction dropped to just 10%, and now I rely on a continuous infusion of milrinone to help my heart pump blood. This medication helps me breathe and be more comfortable while I wait for a heart transplant. I was the only source of income for my family, and during my hospitalizations, our car broke down and our power bill doubled, leaving us two months behind.

The funds raised will help us cover daily living expenses, pay overdue utility bills, and, if possible, repair our car or make a down payment on a reliable vehicle so I can get to my doctor—who is an hour and a half away. Every little bit helps. If we can’t keep our power on or I can’t get to my appointments, I won’t qualify for the artificial heart pump I need as a bridge to transplant. My kids are young and need me here, and I want to be here for my grandbaby and the two more on the way. I appreciate any support so I can be here for them and my growing family.