Our dear uncle, Kevin Tyson, is fighting a battle to get home. He walked into the hospital for back surgery in May, and tragically, surgical complications have left him paralyzed from the waist down. He and his children are doing all they can to help him get into a wheelchair-accessible/caregiver-access home in his beloved hometown of Killarney, which currently has no such service. He remains in Sudbury's hospital system, an hour's drive from his lifelong Killarney home and family. He has been told his ability to recover has been achieved, which leaves him permanently injured, requiring 24-hour care, and unable to live alone in his home any longer. The hospital has said he would need to be discharged to a long-term care facility in Sudbury.......which is where our story of helping Kevin to get home begins.

Kevin was born, raised and happily lived his whole life in the small village of Killarney, off of Georgian Bay. Killarney is a small fishing village with a population of under 500 people. It has no hospital or extended medical facility, except for a small walk-in clinic usually staffed by a lone Nurse. So that means residents of Killarney must travel to Sudbury, an hour's car drives away, for medical care.

With the love of the great outdoors passed down from his father, Kevin enjoyed a lifetime of hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and the close bonds of neighbours living in a small community bring. He could always be counted on for a laugh and a helping hand for anyone who needed it. Kevin's tender-hearted nature was easy for anyone to see. As Kevin raised his children in Killarney, passing along the same respect and love of the outdoors that his father gave him, his tender-hearted nature grew even more. To see him with his children and now grandchildren. Teaching them respect for nature and to fish and hunt. And one of his favourite events - gathering all his family and friends to snowmobile out across the frozen Bay to an open fire wiener roast full of laughs and love....was to see the living definition of love for family and friends truly is.

Kevin worked his whole life to support himself and his family. He would be the first to offer you help with anything you needed. But, Kevin would also be the last to ever ask for help. He made many close friends working for years at the Mine in Killarney. Kevin then worked at Killarney Mountain Lodge for many years, making friends with the staff and the many tourists visiting. So many tourists formed lifelong bonds with him; with his charming personality and knowledge of the outdoors they sought, it was hard not to.

Kevin has lived in a rental home in Killarney, along with his old dog, Hughy. He was still busy working and taking as much time with his grandchildren and dog as he could, all while having medical issues with back pain. When his back pain became more of a concern and he couldn't work any longer, he still did all he could to get by on his own, never asking for help and continued being his joyous, loving self.

Eventually, it was decided by Doctors that he needed back surgery. In mid-May, Kevin walked into the hospital for this surgery, and as mentioned, surgical complications left him paralyzed from the waist down. He will never walk again and will need a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Along with being unable to walk, the location where he is paralyzed affects his bowel and bladder efforts, and he'll need lifelong medical assistance for both. His range of motion in his upper body is also minimal, making life from a wheelchair that much more challenging for a person who had previously been living independently.

Kevin has taken this life-changing medical news in stride. Making all that visit him in the hospital laugh and still worry about others, even when he should be the subject of worry. Fortunately, Kevin's son Jamie and his fiancé Crystal, who live in Killarney, were able to take his dog Hughy to care for him while he's been away in the hospital. Being older, Hughy doesn't tolerate long road trips as he used to. However, he has made the car ride to Sudbury from Killarney a few times to visit his dad Kevin at the Hospital entrance. Seeing that old dog's joy when he sees Kevin brings everyone's eyes to tears. Kevin puts on a solid front, trying to ease his children's worries, but tears escape him when he thinks of missing his grandchildren back in Killarney.

Since the moment the Doctors said he was stable enough after his surgery to start rehabilitative physio and occupational therapies, that man has not stopped. His desire to learn to adapt to a new life of being paralyzed has been motivational to witness. Working through physical and mental pains while being a source of inspiration for other patients on his unit. In addition, he's made some new hospital friends through his charming character, who turn to him for a laugh and some kinship.

Sadly, despite giving his all to physio and occupational therapy for the past three months in the hospital, he will no longer be able to go back to living alone in his Killarney rental home with his beloved dog Hughy. Last week the medical team who planned Kevin's care arranged a meeting with him and all his children to give them this disturbing news. The group said Kevin had reached the maximum level he can achieve with all the therapy he's done, and this "maximum" level still sees him requiring 24-hour care and leaves him permanently injured. He will not get any better than he is now. This means Kevin's hopes to return to his rental home once his hospital rehab program finishes are no longer a reality. The medical team advised Kevin and his children that he would need to go to a Long-Term Care facility once discharged. Meaning some form of nursing/extended medical care home in Sudbury - as there are no extended medical care homes in Killarney. Kevin has all his mental faculties. Before this surgery, he was an independent man living with his dog Hughy, enjoying time with his cherished children, grandchildren and lifelong Killarney friends as an avid outdoorsman.

To hear that their father would need to be in a Long-Term care facility in another city. That city being Sudbury, an hour's drive away from their hometown of Killarney with sometimes hazardous road conditions to get to...all while trying to work, go to school, care for their children and pets, manage their medical issues and homes in Killarney and Barrie just wasn't an option this closely bonded family could accept. So, graciously, all of his children came up with an alternate plan to ensure KEVIN COULD GO HOME TO KILLARNEY.

Kevin's daughter Valerie and her husband Erick offered up a detached garage on their property in Killarney, which can be converted to a fully functioning wheelchair accessible / caregiver home for him. His daughter Charlotte and her partner Brad offered labour services to renovate this garage. His daughter Beth, a professional painter and her partner Phil will do all the painting for this new home for Kevin. His son Jamie and his fiancé Crystal will continue to care for sweet old Hughy and provide labour for the renovations needed to make this new home a reality for Kevin. All his children have been working together to support their Dad over the past three months and are willing to do the work it will take to get Kevin home.

Neither Kevin nor his children would ever ask for our help. But over the next few weeks and months, we know they will need to renovate this garage into a functioning wheelchair-accessible home unit that can accommodate a caregiver. Purchase various medical equipment and supplies (like lifts, ramps and a wheelchair), convert a vehicle to accommodate a wheelchair to attend follow-up medical appointments, and take some time off from their jobs to learn and provide the caregiving that Kevin will need. As everyone can imagine, the average living costs like food, mortgage, cars, gas, children soon to be back at school etc...are enough on their own. Adding medical renovation costs and purchases to these usual average expenses can be astronomical. Kevin remains in the hospital. But now that he's reached his maximum physical recovery, the clock is ticking for him to be discharged home. With our healthcare system, even if Kevin doesn't want to go to a Nursing home. Suppose his new converted garage home isn't ready when the hospital needs a bed. In that case, they can discharge him to any available Nursing home bed until his new Killarney garage home is set up to accommodate his needs.

We have started this Go Fund Me account to ease the financial burden that Kevin and his children may be feeling. Although they would never say it's a burden and wouldn't ask themselves for help, we thought this could help them with some of the financings that such a renovation will cost. In addition, we thought if we could put some of the financial thoughts out of their minds, they could concentrate on just helping Kevin adjust to his new home and life in a wheelchair, which is enough to think of on its own.

All money raised will go directly towards the costs of renovating the garage into a fully functioning wheelchair-accessible / caregiver-access home, along with medical equipment that will be needed inside the house.

From the bottom of our hearts, we humbly ask that you share this link with friends and family and, if possible, donate. (any amount will help)

I know Kevin and his family want to thank every one of you who have called and gone to visit the Hospital over the past three months. Your thoughts and kindness are appreciated more than you know.

Much love from Kevin's nieces, Racheal and Cheryl