My brother is 57 years old and has spent the last two decades fighting for his life. He had his first heart attack at just 37, and since then, he has had more than 18 stents placed. In 2022, his heart stopped completely—he was gone for 15 minutes. By some miracle, he was revived. He spent days in a severe psychosis before finally coming back to us fully. We didn’t know if we would ever get him back, and we are grateful every single day that he’s still here. But his battle has taken an enormous toll. His heart now functions at around 34%. He is exhausted all the time and never knows how he will feel from one day to the next. Holding down a job is nearly impossible when your body simply won’t cooperate. What made this even harder is that my brother has always been such a hard worker. He has worked his whole life and took pride in being able to provide and stay active. Being told by his doctor that he can no longer work was absolutely devastating to him. It broke his heart, and ours, to watch him lose something that meant so much to him.

He now relies on an internal defibrillator to help keep his heart going. He has always loved tinkering with cars. He still tries to find jobs he can do for people, and he loved keeping busy, learning new things, and feeling useful. Now, on many days, he doesn’t have the strength to do the things that once brought him joy. He also loves traveling—whether it was a simple road trip or a weekend getaway, he always appreciated seeing new places. Even small adventures meant the world to him, but now he cannot travel far for fear of not being close to a hospital. I would love for him to be able to enjoy a few more of those little trips without worrying about how he’ll afford gas or food. But more than anything, he loves spending time with his kids and grandkids. They are his whole world. He lights up when they’re around, and those moments give him something to look forward to. I want him to be able to make as many memories with them as possible while he still feels well enough.

There is no timeline for how much time he has left; it depends on when his heart eventually gives out. Living with that uncertainty is unbelievably hard. He is finally receiving Social Security, but it barely covers basic bills. He and his girlfriend do everything they can to stay afloat, but they simply cannot afford to live independently—they currently live in her parents’ basement because it’s the only option they have. What breaks my heart is seeing a man who used to be out in the garage, planning trips, or playing with his kids and grandkids now struggle just to get out of bed. I want him to be able to enjoy whatever time he has left without worrying about whether he can afford food, medications, or basic daily needs. I will be handling the funds on his behalf and making sure every dollar goes toward his comfort, care, and creating special memories. I’m asking for help so my brother can have some peace, comfort, and dignity during the time he has left—so he can eat, cover essential expenses, and maybe experience a little bit of joy again. Any amount helps, and we are grateful for every single donation, share, and prayer. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting him.