Help Save a Real Ironman

The Real-Life “Ironman”

Ironman needs your help! Although it’s not the Ironman that we have come to know and love, the Marvel Comic hero that is larger than life in the movies. Here is the story of the Real-Life Ironman.

The story has some similarities to the fictional character except this is a real person living today. Unlike Tony Stark, David Nota received the machine implanted in his heart in a hospital by amazingly talented Doctors and not in a cave like Tony did. Although, both must carry around a battery to make the machine keep them alive. The fictional Tony Stark created a mini arc reactor to power his machine, but David Nota doesn’t have the luxury of such science and fantasy that Tony Stark did. David still must carry a battery around to power the machine that keeps him alive.

This was to be a temporary solution until a heart transplant could be performed on David Nota. After four years and THREE LVADs he is still waiting.

So why should anyone contribute to a crowdfunding project for the Real-Life Ironman? Let’s go back to the comparisons between real and fiction. Howard Stark (Tony’s father) left a multi-billion-dollar company (Stark Industries) and unlimited resources when he disappeared, to his son and only heir.  When David Nota was one year old and the fifth child in the family, his father died. The family business was sold, and mother went to work to support the family. There were no Stark Industries in his future to help.

Fast forward to the present day. David has a wife and three children. Unfortunately, a pair of heart attacks has necessitated an LVAD machine to be placed in his chest to keep him alive. The last four years have been like he was living in the cave where Tony Stark started out. Unable to move about much because of the machine keeping him alive and the last few months having been confined to a hospital with only an occasional visitor permitted to see him in person.

Again, why should you help? Isn’t there insurance or anything to help here? Yes, there is some insurance provided by his wife’s company. The company moved from Western Michigan to Central Michigan necessitating a two and a half-hour daily commute to maintain the coverages. If you know anything about Michigan weather that commute can be incredibly challenging in the winter months.

 Now to save David’s life, he was transferred to a hospital in the Chicago area that is about a three-hour drive (in good weather) for his family. The medical expenses, as well as the costs of driving, housing, food, and missing work are becoming unmanageable for the family.

Even though your help will be a relief from some of the financial burdens that the family now faces, the real reason to contribute is that you are giving HOPE and relieving the burdensome stress that David feels because of all the financial pressure on his family.

Please help the real-life Ironman to survive. You won’t see him flying around in a brightly colored metal suit, but you will know that you helped when you were needed. That will empower YOU to fly. Thank you for your help and prayers.