My name is Chris, and I’m creating this GoFundMe to help my wife Teresa Mungai (DePadre), and our family after a sudden medical emergency turned our lives upside down.

On the morning of Thursday, February 5th, 2026, Teresa suffered a stroke. We went to the ER that morning, and she was admitted to the hospital and discharged on February 11th. Then unexpectedly on February 19th, Teresa suffered a second stroke. We had to call 911, and she was taken by ambulance to the ER and admitted again for additional care and monitoring. She was able to come home on February 23rd. We are currently seeing five different specialists, and the doctors have not yet been able to determine the root cause of the strokes.

Teresa works for a small nonprofit, ACEE (Arizona Council on Economic Education). She has exhausted all sick and personal leave, and her last paycheck was February 27, 2026. ACEE provides six weeks of unpaid leave, which ends April 10, 2026. Because they employ fewer than 50 people, federal FMLA protections do not apply.

Since these strokes, we’ve been overwhelmed with the costs of two ER visits, hospital stays, ambulance transport, and multiple follow-up doctor appointments as Teresa continues her recovery. Our normal household expenses are more than I can cover on my income alone, and the added medical bills are arriving quickly. Without help, we risk falling behind on essential bills and potentially losing our home.

Donations will go directly toward keeping us stable while Teresa focuses on healing, including:

• Mortgage and utilities

• Groceries and transportation

• Insurance and other household bills

• Medical bills, co-pays, and recovery-related expenses

If you’re able to donate, we’re deeply grateful. If you can’t, sharing this fundraiser means a lot and helps us reach others. Thank you for supporting Teresa and our family during this difficult time.