My younger brother’s right lung collapsed suddenly, and he was brought to the hospital just in time—he was only minutes away from heart failure. What followed was a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. He’s now been in the hospital for over 8 days, waiting for surgery sometime this week. Originally, we were told he should have been able to come home after just 48 hours, but complications have kept him there much longer than anyone expected.

His doctors have determined that he needs two major surgeries at once: a pectus excavatum procedure to break/push open his sternum (a NUSS procedure) and also surgery to help fix his right lung from a spontaneous tension-pneumothorax (this consists of 3 different procedures which is also done at once. First is a VATS procedure followed by a Blebectomy and then finally a Pleurodesis). The medical bills, surgery costs, and the long road to recovery are more than our family ever imagined we’d face. We’re doing everything we can to support him, but we can’t do it alone.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my brother’s story. This has been an incredibly scary and overwhelming time for our family, and any support—whether it’s a donation, a share, or simply keeping him in your thoughts and prayers—means more than words can explain. We truly appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts.