Our Mom in Her Fight for Life

Our Mom has always been the heart of our family — strong, selfless, and full of love. Today, she’s fighting the toughest battle of her life. She was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease and right heart failure, and after nearly two weeks in the hospital, her condition has reached a very critical stage.

Each day has been a fight — a fight to breathe, a fight to heal, and a fight to hold onto hope. Watching her go through this has been heartbreaking for all of us.

Our Dad, the sole provider for our family, has taken time off work to stay by her side every day. While his employer has kindly granted him 12 weeks of FMLA leave, it is unpaid, placing a significant financial strain on our family during this already difficult time.

We’ve always been a family that gives and rarely asks for help, but during this difficult time, we are humbly reaching out to our community for support. Any contribution — big or small — will go directly toward our Mom’s medical care, recovery needs, travel and lodging expenses, food and the financial preparation for a possible lung transplant as her condition continues to progress. These funds will also help our family stay afloat while she continues her fight.

If you prefer to give directly, we also have a Zelle account please message us for details.

Please keep our Mom in your prayers and help us share this message. Your kindness, support, and love mean more than words can ever express.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us during this unimaginable time.

— With love,

Lee Family

Family Update on Our Mother’s Health

To all who have sent prayers, words of encouragement, and donations through our mother’s GoFundMe — our family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude and share an update regarding her recent medical journey.

On Wednesday, October 29th, 2025, our mother experienced a severe drop in oxygen levels, prompting an emergency call to EMT services. Upon their arrival, she was cyanotic and presenting with critically low oxygen saturation. She was transported to Bellin Hospital, where her condition was closely monitored.

Within hours of her arrival, our family was informed that without immediate intubation and life support, she would not survive. Despite the overwhelming circumstances, our mother consented to intubation. Family members from across the country quickly traveled — some driving long hours and others flying in — to be by her side during this critical time.

In the days that followed, she was placed on paralytics to help stabilize her vitals. Once her condition allowed, the medical team began gradually weaning her off the medication. By Sunday, November 9th, she had improved enough to be successfully extubated and removed from life support. During that time, she was alert, recognized her family, and even shared moments of laughter — a testament to her incredible strength and spirit.

On Monday, November 10th, we were informed that her care required transfer to a higher-acuity facility. The following day, Tuesday, November 11th, she was airlifted via Eagle III to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, approximately two hours from home. Understandably, this was an emotional transition for our family, yet we remained hopeful.

During her stay at Froedtert, our mother continued to demonstrate remarkable resilience. On Friday, November 7th, after consulting with her medical team, she made the courageous decision to pursue a transplant. Unfortunately, we later learned that Froedtert’s transplant program was not in-network with our father’s insurance provider, necessitating another hospital transfer.

Referrals were immediately sent to several in-network transplant centers, including UW Health in Madison. Within hours, UW Health accepted her pending bed availability. While awaiting transfer, our mother participated in physical and occupational therapy, continued efforts to wean off high-flow oxygen, and was upgraded to a regular diet. Watching her stand during therapy — even for brief periods — filled our family with immense pride in her determination and perseverance.

On Tuesday, November 11th, 2025, her transfer to UW Health in Madison was confirmed. She was safely transported by ambulance at 5:00 PM, with our father following by car.

Our mother’s journey has been one of extraordinary strength, faith, and resilience. We remain steadfast in our belief that she will continue to fight and progress toward a full recovery.

We extend our deepest appreciation to everyone who has supported our family through prayers, messages, and donations. Your kindness has provided comfort and strength during this incredibly challenging time. We will continue to share updates as her care and recovery progress.

With sincere gratitude,

The Lee Family