Our world turned upside down this summer. On June 23rd, my husband, Brett Richardson, underwent open-heart surgery, which led to complications and a large stroke. Because of the severity of his condition, Brett was transferred hours away from our home in South Georgia to a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida via a medical helicopter. An emergency thrombectomy was done to remove the calcium that was blocking blood flow on the right side of his brain. The following night, his brain swelled, leading to another life-saving surgery, a craniectomy. He recently had his cranioplasty surgery to replace the skull. Now, Brett faces a long, challenging road to recovery.

Brett is a devoted husband, loving father to our three children, and a dedicated nurse who has always gone above and beyond to care for others. Now, he’s the one who needs care.

We’ve been living far from home for weeks, away from our kids, family, and normal routines. This has brought not only emotional strain but also financial challenges — including travel costs, meals, and the ongoing hospital bills waiting for us.

The months ahead will involve intensive rehabilitation, follow-up appointments, and therapy to help Brett walk and regain independence. While we are thankful for insurance, it doesn’t come close to covering all the medical bills and unexpected expenses we’re facing.

We’re asking for your help to ease this burden so we can focus entirely on Brett’s healing and keep our family afloat. Every donation — no matter the size — will go directly toward Brett’s recovery and our family’s needs during this time.

If you can’t give financially, we ask for your continued prayers, encouragement, and for you to share Brett’s story. Your love and support mean more to us than you’ll ever know.

Thank you for walking this road with us.

— Shari, Ethan, Addie & Ella Richardson