My husband, Justin, was first diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2016. For years, he’s managed it with incredible strength — going to his appointments , taking his medications faithfully, and keeping a positive outlook through it all. Until recently, we thought things were stable.

But during a recent right heart catheterization at Emory Hospital, our world was turned upside down. We were told that Justin’s heart is failing and that it’s now extremely weak — so weak that it can no longer pump enough blood to sustain his body. The doctors told us plainly that without major intervention, he doesn’t have long to live.

Because Justin still has some more qualifications to meet for a heart transplant, the doctors are preparing to perform a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) surgery. This is an open-heart surgery that implants a mechanical device to help his heart circulate blood and give him more time while we wait for a donor heart.

We’ve been married for 21 years this month — November 19th — and I need him to be here for many more.

We have three beautiful daughters, two in college and one in middle school. I want him to be there to walk them down the aisle one day, to see them chase their dreams, and to live out the life we’ve built together.

Justin is the kind of man who never complains and never misses a day of work. I run a small cleaning business, and I’ve always been the same way. We’ve never been the type to ask for help — we’ve always just pushed through, no matter what. But this time, we can’t do it alone.

The surgery and recovery will require us to stay in Atlanta for 4–6 weeks, and during that time, neither of us will be able to work. After this time, he may be out of work an additional few months as he adjusts to the LVAD. Even our recent week long hospital stay put us behind financially. Our lives have completely changed overnight.

We’re asking for your help — through donations or simply by sharing our story — so we can focus on his recovery instead of worrying about falling behind. Every bit helps, and we are so grateful for every prayer, share, and word of support.

We’re fighting not just for his life, but for our family’s future — for love, for hope, and for more time together.

Thank you for reading and for helping us through the hardest season of our lives.

With love,

Misty & the Stennis Family

Thomasville, Georgia