I’m starting this GoFundMe for my cousin-in-law, family in every sense of the word, who has endured more loss and medical hardship than anyone should have to face.

He is a devoted father who has had to deal with both of his children having cystic fibrosis. Tragically, he lost his daughter, Emily. While grieving his child, he has continued fighting for his own health and doing everything he can to keep moving forward.

Chad is an amazing teacher and is adored by his students. Since the start of this school year alone, he has spent five weeks hospitalized, exhausting all of his vacation and sick time by the end of September. After receiving a combined pancreas and kidney transplant, he is no longer diabetic, though the long-term effects of years of diabetes remain. He also lives with a prosthetic and is now facing stage five kidney failure after receiving that transplant just five years ago.

He is now preparing for the reality of being placed back on the kidney transplant list, with dialysis likely in the near future. Between Thanksgiving 2024 and New Year’s Eve 2025, he has endured 12 separate hospital stays.

As the calendar turns to a new year, all insurance deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses reset on January 1, meaning he is starting the year already facing overwhelming medical costs on top of lost income and daily living expenses.

This fundraiser is meant to help relieve some of that financial burden — covering medical bills, hospital stays, missed work, and basic necessities — so he can focus on his health. Chad did not want this GoFundMe created, but as his family, we felt it was absolutely necessary to step in and ask for support on his behalf.

Any donation, share, or prayer means more than words can express. Thank you for helping support him during one of the hardest seasons of his life.