Help Papa Dos kick COVID’s ASS!!

Hi, my name is Marissa Dostal, daughter of the most amazing dad EVER…Steve Dostal!

My dad has been fighting COVID-19 for over one month including two stays in the hospital – his second stay is ongoing now.

Unfortunately, Steve got double COVID pneumonia (that means it is in both lungs), which comes with significant complications, the most critical of which is his severe difficulty breathing. He has been on oxygen since October 10th. He requires tubes in his nose to get enough oxygen 24 hours a day. For a portion of hospital stay #1, he was on the high-flow oxygen floor at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ for several days, which means he had a full mask over nose and mouth and could only remove it briefly to eat or drink. He’s lost over 20 pounds, can hardly eat, sit up in bed or walk to the bathroom (and has to use a walker). He is truly fighting for his life!

After the first time Steve got out of the hospital, my mom Shelley tried to take care of all his needs by herself, bless her heart. But Steve’s condition was still too tentative, and he really needed a nurse at home, not only a loving, devoted wife. He ended up back in the hospital. When Dad is released from the hospital again, hopefully for good this time, he will need nursing and physical therapy at home on a daily basis for many months.

You know what a big, strong man Steve is. And I’m sure you can imagine how hard it has been for him to accept help – he has always been the one to help others. But he and Shelley need some help.

Steve and Shelley’s insurance does not cover the first 90 days of home care, which Steve will certainly need to continue his recovery from this terrible illness. We are reaching out to our family and closest friends to help raise funds to pay for this interim period before the insurance coverage kicks in.

We are trying to raise $12,000 to help them in the first few months of what will be a very long road to recovery.

We cannot thank you enough for all the prayers, well wishes and love you are sending, and we have set up this GoFundMe to give you the chance to help out in another way too. My parents don’t know we’re doing this, and we would love to surprise them!

I remember my dad telling me the story over and over again of how he would wake up very early in the dead of winter mornings and go chop the ice off the basketball court so he could practice before he went to school. This All-American railroad man, biggest teddy bear, funniest guy, heart of gold would do whatever it takes to be the best, to do the best, to live the best… let’s chop some ice off that basketball court for dad and help him out. Thank you so much for considering this request!

 

Sending love,

Daughter Marissa, Son-in-law Andy, Granddaughter Georgie (age 3), Son Jared, Daughter-in-law Pilar, and Grandson Keenan (age 8)

XO