Mark LaFond, my brother, found out he had a bad heart valve unexpectedly one day at work. That led to an urgent surgery to replace the valve. After a couple of days of tests to see what the doctors were dealing with, they made a plan for him to go to St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula for open-heart surgery. The surgery took four hours to complete, and Mark spent three days in the ICU followed by three more days in the hospital to recover.

Now, Mark faces a challenging road ahead. He must take at least two months off work to recover, and unfortunately, he won't be receiving any sick leave or paycheck during this time. On top of that, he can't do his second job—playing music—which brings him joy and extra income. The cost of this medical event, even with insurance, is a heavy burden for Mark and our family.

Mark has brought so much joy to so many people in our community through his music and kindness. We're organizing this fundraiser to help cover his medical bills and living expenses while he recovers. Any support you can give is deeply appreciated and will help Mark get back on his feet and jamming as soon as possible.