Hi everyone, my name is Ashley, and I’m raising funds for my brother Marcus, who is currently in the ICU in California after suffering two strokes on Christmas Day.

Christmas is supposed to be a day of joy. For our family, it became the day everything changed.

In a matter of hours, Marcus had two strokes and lost what most of us don’t even think about until it’s gone — the ability to move, to speak, to walk, to eat, to swallow, to simply communicate that he’s okay or tell us what he needs. Right now he cannot move the left side of his body, and he is fighting through a reality none of us were prepared for.

Watching someone you love become trapped inside their own body is a pain I can’t fully put into words. We sit beside him in the hospital and pray for the smallest signs — anything that tells us he’s still in there and still fighting.

The doctors have told us Marcus will need months of intensive rehabilitation. He will need specialized treatment and therapy (physical, occupational, and speech/swallow therapy) to have the best chance at regaining function. He also has to be transferred to another facility for treatment and rehab — and that transfer alone, along with ongoing care, comes with costs that are already overwhelming.

I’m creating this GoFundMe for Marcus because he can’t tell his own story right now — so I’m telling it for him. He needs help — not just prayers (though we need those too), but real support to cover the medical and rehab expenses that are coming fast.

How your support will help

Donations will go toward:

ICU and hospital medical bills

Transfer costs to a rehab/treatment facility

Inpatient rehabilitation and therapy (physical, occupational, speech + swallow therapy)

Medications, medical supplies, and equipment

Ongoing care needs during recovery

Basic living expenses while he is unable to work

If you’re able to give, thank you. If you can’t donate, please share this fundraiser. Every share helps, every prayer matters, and every dollar is a step toward getting Marcus the care he needs.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting Marcus during the fight of his life.

— Ashley