My sister Bonnie Cox and her boyfriend Jim Schutz were in a terrible motorcycle vs. automobile accident (they were on the motorcycle) and were severely injured. My sister had complications from major spinal surgery to prevent paralysis this past January and had been finally released from a doctor’s care at the end of last month. They decided to celebrate with a trip to a lovely resort town called Traverse City. They booked into a hotel on the lake so Bonnie could see her beloved northern lights in its full glory.

They put their bags down and decided to get something to eat before Mother Nature’s Light Show began. They got on their bike and were turning left to get to their romantic meal when the unthinkable happened—a young driver, also turning left, didn’t see them and plowed into them.

They were thrown from the motorcycle—my sister’s helmet even came off with the force of the impact. Thank God they are alive, but not without suffering severe injuries. My sister’s pelvis was broken in three places, requiring surgery to repair the fractures, and she also broke her ankle. Fortunately, she did not suffer a head wound but did hit her head and suffer facial lacerations. Jim dislocated his left elbow, broke three bones in his foot, and suffered from eight broken ribs—I didn’t realize humans even have that many! He is in tremendous pain, moving, breathing, even laughing is torturous—as one would expect after being hit by a car without the benefit of a protective metal cage. He still cannot get out of bed, and it takes three people just to move him to the edge of the bed, due to tremendous pain. They were fortunate to be allowed to share their hospital room—but they are 3.5 hours from home, with no family or friends close by.

When they are able to be released from rehab, Bonnie’s house will have to be adapted to be more handicapped accessible. She’s looking at at least eight weeks of no weight bearing, followed by months of rehab. Jim is missing work and facing expensive medical bills. While they are now physically “healing,” their psychological and emotional well-being is damaged and will take months of various modalities and therapies to heal.

That’s where you come in—with the season of giving upon us, could you please find it in your heart to help these two lovely, deserving people? Months of healing without work will be expensive for them. Won’t you join in and be a partner in their healing journey together?

Thank you, and be good to everyone, you never know their struggles.