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On November 8, 2020 with their drill completed Marine Lance Corporal Cedrick Merrell said goodbye to his fellow Marine reservists and mounted his motorcycle to make the long ride home to his wife and baby girl. Ever the careful driver, he entered the on-ramp and began to merge onto Interstate 80 in the Bay Area heading home to his family in Citrus Heights. But, the young Marine, husband to Athena and daddy to little Leila NEVER MADE IT HOME that day. 
One moment he was fine and the next his life changed forever. Cedrick was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery on his shattered leg. While the doctors were working to put his leg back together, their patient had an allergic reaction to the anesthetic. His face quickly swelled as well as his throat. The medical team had to intubate him in order for him to get the precious oxygen he needed to breathe. This was only the first step in what will be a long journey back to health.
Since that day, Cedrick has undergone two more surgeries; each one longer and more arduous than the last. Luckily he is covered for some of the medical, but the young military family has other things to worry about as well. In order for Athena to stay home to care for thirteen month old, Leila, Cedrick had been working 12 hour days 5 to 7 days a week. Now, his civilian job as a tower technician is too difficult to perform and he doesn’t have a clear timeline on when or if he will be able to return to that line of work.
Born in Georgia, Cedrick grew up with his mom and three younger brothers. He has always worked hard to be a good role model for his siblings teaching them important life skills he, himself, had to learn on his own. In kindergarten Cedrick already knew what he wanted to be when he grew up; a US Marine! At 17, in his senior year of high school he signed up with a recruiter under the delayed entry program and has been an active Marine reservist ever since.
After having made the move to California on the urging of his cousin, Cedrick met his future bride, Athena. It was love at first sight and the two have been together ever since. Now, a few years later, they are married and have their adorable baby girl, Leila. The young couple recently moved into an apartment in Citrus Heights where the rent is less expensive than their Roseville apartment that was closer to Athena’s family, but easier for Cedrick to make the commute to the Bay Area on his motorcycle.
Normally, the young Marine and father, would never drive a motorcycle, but something happened to make that choice seem necessary to support his young family. See, sometime in October, Athena went outside to put Leila in the car for a grocery run, but the car was not in its parking spot. Naturally, her first thought was, “Someone stole my car!”. If only… What really happened shocked and confused the young couple. After many phone calls Athena discovered that her car which was a generous gift from a family member for her high school graduation had been repossessed! Unbeknownst to her, the family member decided to stop making payments on the vehicle and not tell Athena or Cedrick so they could decide if they could make them. After five months of non-payment there was no way they could afford to catch up even if they wanted to. So, buying a used motorcycle was a choice they felt was the only thing they could do so the baby and Athena could use Cedrick’s cherished Jeep for transportation while he was working.
For 8 months out of Leila’s 13 months on this Earth, her daddy was deployed. She was so very happy to have him home and was just getting used to their new routine (military families can all relate) when the tragic accident took him away once more. But, this time her daddy is in the hospital 2 hours away from their home. They don’t know when he will be released or for how long the difficult recovery will be.
It pains his family and friends to see this hard-working, kind-hearted young man in agony and suffering like he is. This family is going to need help, friends. The future is uncertain for them. There are many unknowns. What we do know is Cedrick is, and will be unable to work for months. They need help with copays, making rent, utilities, and for food. It is my hope, too that enough money can be raised to help with a down-payment on a car with lots of safety features so their journeys may be ones they know they will return from unharmed.
Please see it in your heart to donate to Marine Lance Corporal Cedrick Merrell and his family this holiday season.
One moment he was fine and the next his life changed forever. Cedrick was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery on his shattered leg. While the doctors were working to put his leg back together, their patient had an allergic reaction to the anesthetic. His face quickly swelled as well as his throat. The medical team had to intubate him in order for him to get the precious oxygen he needed to breathe. This was only the first step in what will be a long journey back to health.
Since that day, Cedrick has undergone two more surgeries; each one longer and more arduous than the last. Luckily he is covered for some of the medical, but the young military family has other things to worry about as well. In order for Athena to stay home to care for thirteen month old, Leila, Cedrick had been working 12 hour days 5 to 7 days a week. Now, his civilian job as a tower technician is too difficult to perform and he doesn’t have a clear timeline on when or if he will be able to return to that line of work.
Born in Georgia, Cedrick grew up with his mom and three younger brothers. He has always worked hard to be a good role model for his siblings teaching them important life skills he, himself, had to learn on his own. In kindergarten Cedrick already knew what he wanted to be when he grew up; a US Marine! At 17, in his senior year of high school he signed up with a recruiter under the delayed entry program and has been an active Marine reservist ever since.
After having made the move to California on the urging of his cousin, Cedrick met his future bride, Athena. It was love at first sight and the two have been together ever since. Now, a few years later, they are married and have their adorable baby girl, Leila. The young couple recently moved into an apartment in Citrus Heights where the rent is less expensive than their Roseville apartment that was closer to Athena’s family, but easier for Cedrick to make the commute to the Bay Area on his motorcycle.
Normally, the young Marine and father, would never drive a motorcycle, but something happened to make that choice seem necessary to support his young family. See, sometime in October, Athena went outside to put Leila in the car for a grocery run, but the car was not in its parking spot. Naturally, her first thought was, “Someone stole my car!”. If only… What really happened shocked and confused the young couple. After many phone calls Athena discovered that her car which was a generous gift from a family member for her high school graduation had been repossessed! Unbeknownst to her, the family member decided to stop making payments on the vehicle and not tell Athena or Cedrick so they could decide if they could make them. After five months of non-payment there was no way they could afford to catch up even if they wanted to. So, buying a used motorcycle was a choice they felt was the only thing they could do so the baby and Athena could use Cedrick’s cherished Jeep for transportation while he was working.
For 8 months out of Leila’s 13 months on this Earth, her daddy was deployed. She was so very happy to have him home and was just getting used to their new routine (military families can all relate) when the tragic accident took him away once more. But, this time her daddy is in the hospital 2 hours away from their home. They don’t know when he will be released or for how long the difficult recovery will be.
It pains his family and friends to see this hard-working, kind-hearted young man in agony and suffering like he is. This family is going to need help, friends. The future is uncertain for them. There are many unknowns. What we do know is Cedrick is, and will be unable to work for months. They need help with copays, making rent, utilities, and for food. It is my hope, too that enough money can be raised to help with a down-payment on a car with lots of safety features so their journeys may be ones they know they will return from unharmed.
Please see it in your heart to donate to Marine Lance Corporal Cedrick Merrell and his family this holiday season.