Help Em with Medical Bills from a Heart Attack

Hi, this is Eleanor (Beard) Lee. On November 6, 2021, my younger sibling, Em Beard, suffered a widowmaker heart attack due to a congenital heart defect. Since Em is only 36, this definitely came as a shock to us all. Even the cardiologist said that people Em's age who have a heart attack due to this defect rarely survive because medical professionals aren't looking for a heart attack in someone that young.

But Em survived!!

Now Em is faced with a scenario familiar to many of us: balancing overwhelming medical debt during recovery. While Em is employed as a supervisor for a company that helps individuals with developmental disabilities, the doctor has ordered Em to be off work for nearly 2 months while recovering and starting cardiology rehab. Being unable to work on top of the medical debt and regular bills is a stressful situation. Stress + heart attack = bad.

In case you don't know Em personally, let me share a bit... "Auntie Em" is the fun Aunt, the sibling who shows up for special events, keeps an eye out for small gifts that would make others smile, cheers everyone by being a goofball, has the mind of a creative genius, and is a published poet. Em is a natural caregiver with a big heart for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable or of an underserved population.

Em is my bestest friend in the whole wide world and I am SO thankful to the friends who called 911, the medical community, and God for keeping Em alive. Being a helpless bystander while your loved one suffers really sucks. This GoFundMe is my way of helping. If you know my family, this has been a rocky year for us (as it has for many). Having you all in our corner has given us strength. We greatly appreciate all of your love, support, and prayers. Be blessed! -El