This fundraiser is created on behalf of my dad, Gary Larreau.

On the evening of February 21, dad was having a normal night in his office in the shop. As he went to slide his chair away from the desk, he heard a “popping and whooshing” sound in his head. Thanks to Siri, he was able to call my mom for help. We rushed to the office and found him unable to function. We called 911 and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance. After many tests, he was diagnosed with an Ischemic stroke and was flown by jet from Nebraska to the University of Colorado Hospital. He has been in the neuro ICU ever since, but will start acute in-patient physical therapy soon in Kearney, Nebraska, which is expected to last a few weeks. The doctors have called him “remarkable” for how well he is doing after such a large stroke. 

During testing at UC Health, the doctors also discovered two brain aneurysms – one large and one small. We were lucky these were found incidentally so they can be treated preventatively. The large one is located between his eyes, while the small one is located to the left side. The plan is to map them thoroughly with more tests and then treat them through either an endovascular procedure or surgical clips. He will need to recover from the stroke for a few months before taking on this next challenge. 

My dad, who will turn 62 on March 20, is known in our small community for helping others. His bobcat is infamous for not being able to pass by anyone’s driveway after a snowstorm – he spends the entire day digging people out just because he can. He is a very proud man and asking for help can be hard. While he has insurance (thank goodness), there are always significant out-of-pocket expenses, and he will be unable to work for an unknown amount of time. 

This GoFundMe page was created to alleviate my parents’ financial pressures, and as a way for all of dad’s many friends and family to help. If you are able to give support in any capacity, it would be greatly appreciated.