My name is Chris Schwertman, and I created this GoFundMe page to help my dear friend Milton Smith and his family as he awaits a heart transplant that will save his life.

Milton is 62 years old, married to his wife Vickie for 40 years, and the devoted father of their 20-year-old son, MJ, who is non-speaking autistic. Milton is a gentle, loving man with a truly big heart — the kind of father who never gave up on his child, who always believed in his son’s intelligence, and who built his life around caring for his family.

I met the Smith family three years ago when Vickie, a home health aide, cared for my sister during her cancer treatment. Through her, I learned about the family’s struggles — especially their fight to find education and communication support for MJ in a rural North Carolina community with very limited resources. After years of trying, Milton and Vickie were finally granted access to a private school for autistic students and specialized “Spelling to Communicate” tutoring, which gave MJ something he had never truly had before: a voice.

Milton’s greatest joy was seeing his son come home smiling from school each day.

But just as hope was growing, tragedy struck.

In the summer of 2024, Milton’s implanted defibrillator shocked him 21 times, killing him briefly before doctors revived him and placed him on life support. His heart was badly damaged, leaving him with dangerous arrhythmias and severe scarring. Despite this, Milton pushed through recovery because he was determined to get MJ to school and support his learning.

Then it happened again.

After months of hospitalizations, surgeries, and terrifying close calls, doctors delivered the news no family ever wants to hear: Milton’s heart is too damaged to repair. His only chance to live is a heart transplant. He cannot leave the hospital — another episode would be fatal.

Milton is currently listed as Stage 2, placing him high on the transplant list. In a cruel twist of fate, a donor heart became available just weeks ago. Milton was prepped and taken to the operating room — only for doctors to discover at the last moment that the heart was not viable. They believe another heart will come soon, but until then, Milton waits… and time is critical.

Meanwhile, his family is under tremendous strain. Vickie is exhausted, traveling hours each day between work, home, hospital, and MJ’s school. She continues to work as a home health aide when she can as hers is the only source of family income. Because of Milton’s long recovery, they are being forced to consider placing MJ in an intensive care facility far from his school — which would mean losing the education and communication progress he fought so hard to achieve, sending him back into silence.

Despite his own fear, MJ spelled these words on his letter board: “Tell mom not to stress. Please let my dad know that I love him.”

Financially, the burden is overwhelming. Medicare covers much of the surgery and follow-up costs, but not everything. Copays, medications, travel, and recovery costs add up. The initial goal of $100k will help Vickie and Milton cover immediate medical and transplant-related expenses. As costs become clearer, the goal may be updated.

Milton is a good man. A loving husband. A devoted father. He deserves the chance to live — to hear his son’s words, to hold his wife’s hand, and to be there for the family that depends on him.

Please consider donating if you can. If you’re unable to give, sharing this story means more than you know. Every moment matters. Every act of kindness helps keep this family together.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.