My name is Brandi. I'm the oldest of 5 children and that friendly looking guy with the kind eyes in the photo is our dad, Kevin. Last year Dad had to have 5 bypasses done on his heart, all in one go. It was a pretty harrowing experience for all involved, including the amazing surgeon, who managed to keep him alive despite several days of non-stop bleeding (we almost lost him twice). Eventually Dad made it through recovery and he's doing a bit better these days, although his heart repair journey isn't over just yet. There is possibility of needing an additional surgery in the near future.

As you can probably imagine, heart surgery is a pretty big deal and requires a lot of expensive resources. Unfortunately my Dad also has an issue with his spine that he's been battling for decades. As a result, he has been on disability for quite some time now. The hospital bill for his heart surgery was massive - just about $750,000. Thankfully he only owes a portion of that out-of-pocket (which is what we're asking for here), but it's still an overwhelming amount for someone on disability to pay. To further complicate things, his bank account was hacked during recovery and now he has a stack of late charges to contend with.

I know we all are having a tougher time financially these days. I don't ask this of anyone who is going through their own struggle. But if you have the means, might you consider helping out that gentle, funny, loving, father of five you see in the photo?

With heartfelt thanks and gratitude,

Kevin's Kids: Brandi, Sarah, Kyle, Adam and Nathan

Grandchildren: Charlotte and Briella

and Girlfriend, Judee