Jared's recovery & care

(Please check the 'Update' for latest info)

Many have asked if they could send a card to Jared. If this is something you would like to do please send them to:

Jared & Ellie Harbour

693 Santuit-Newtown Road,

Marstons Mills,

MA 02648

USA

(Initial Update & Info)

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your patience in waiting for this update re Jared.

I flew over to be with my younger brother Jared and his wife Eli on Thursday, June 15th. While it has been so good to be with and spend time with Jared, it has been a truly heart-breaking experience. For those of you who know Jared well, you understand fully how willful, independent and driven he is. For those of you who don’t know Jared – he has pioneered for the last 22 years since leaving school at 17. At just 19 years of age he went to Benin, West Africa, for 2 years. He later served on construction in S.Africa for 2.5 years.

He also lived and served in N.Africa for 4 years. He married his fabulous wife Ellie on December 20th, 2018 and they have been living in Costa Rica for the last 2.5 years. He has always lived life to the fullest and served Jehovah wholeheartedly throughout.

On Monday, June 5th, while visiting Martha’s Vineyard (an island off the approx. 7 miles off the coast of US, 90 miles from Boston) along with other brothers and sisters, Jared fell and seriously fractured 2 vertebrae in his neck. Following his fall, he was unable to breathe as the damaged nerves stopped his diaphragm from functioning. A sister and brother who were with him that day kept him alive until the paramedics arrived by giving him mouth to mouth breaths. He was immediately taken to the local hospital and later flown by helicopter to Boston Mass General Hospital where he was operated on the following day. Titanium rods were inserted that support his neck and are fixed to the C4 & 5 vertebrae, and up to the occipital bone (allowing for the irreparable damage to the C2 & 3 vertebrae). Currently Jared cannot move his arms or legs at all. Neither can he breathe unaided and is totally dependent on a ventilator. This is an unimaginably terrifying condition for him to be in. His amazing wife Eli is doing incredibly well in caring for him so lovingly and attentively. Jared has regained some feeling, predominantly to the left side of his body, and this gives us much hope.

Jared and Eli have qualified for emergency insurance which will cover the cost of the surgery and emergency care in the hospital which is absolutely wonderful and a massive relief. They have also applied for insurance to cover Jared’s rehabilitation. They haven't yet heard if this will be granted but if this is approved, then they will stay in Boston for the length of time that this will take.

What Jared and Eli need – How you can help

We do not have timeframes, but the road ahead for Jared’s treatments, recovery and care will not be short. If Jared qualifies for the insurance to have rehab in the US, then Eli will need a place nearby to live while she supports Jared. If Jared doesn’t qualify for this option, then one possibility would be for Jared and Eli to return to Ireland, find somewhere to live and arrange the necessary healthcare support. Either way, the costs involved are beyond their current means.

Our goal is to remove any financial concerns as much as possible from their minds so that their focus can be fully on Jared’s recovery.

Your generous support is so very very much appreciated!!!