Heroes Always Rise

Our dear friend Darrell Midgette suffered a devastating heart attack with severe multi-system failures on October 18. The responding hospital was not equipped to handle the damage, so he was quickly flown to UVA hospital in Charlottesville. There we were told the fact that he was still alive was remarkable, and that a transplant would be necessary if he survived.  

A week later, the doctors were surprised to see the damaged side of his heart start working again. Of course it did.  Darrell would be the first to tell you the great warriors always get back up.

 

Almost two weeks later, after surgery to repair a perforated septum and install a temporary pump, Darrell finally woke up ... on Halloween (again: of course). His mind and wit have emerged unscathed--something we're mostly grateful for--but his body will take some time. He has shown a remarkable recovery, gradually kicking down one barrier after another, just not with his left leg. Yet. He is scheduled to return home on December 10 to continue his rehab as an outpatient, where he will continue to work on waking up his left leg, strengthening his other one, and regaining his motor coordination so he can get back to drawing. Every day shows an improvement, yet he has a long way to go.

As a freelance artist and graphic designer, Darrell does not enjoy the benefit of paid sick leave. Even with his health insurance, the out of pocket costs of open heart surgery plus one month in the ICU were not cheap, and his medical expenses will continue to rise. His friends have established this GoFundMe site to try and offset the financial implications of his setback and help put his mind at ease a bit while he focuses on getting back to full health. Even if we can cover his rent for the next six months, that's a win.

Any contribution is greatly appreciated. Heroes always rise.