Jack's Stroke Recovery & Medical Expenses

On Tuesday, September 20th, our Dad woke up in a cozy cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee- one of his favorite places- just like he had done many times before. Little did he know by the time the day was over, he would need Lifeline to fly him to Knoxville for emergency life-saving surgery.

Our Dad- or Jack to everyone else- spent his last vacation day in the Smoky Mountains doing the things he loves. He went swimming and had a regular, relaxing morning and afternoon. That evening, Mom & Kahla went to dinner and did a little shopping. Jack decided to stay back, which wasn’t unusual for him- no red flags. He’d talked to Mom on the phone a couple of times while she was out, which also wasn’t unusual. They are each other’s person and communicate often. In hindsight, we think he was beginning to feel like something was wrong, but he didn’t want to worry her by saying anything on the phone. Typical Jack!

When Mom and Kahla arrived back at the cabin, Dad was seated in a chair. Mom immediately knew something was wrong and yelled for Kahla (EMT & firefighter) to come quickly. Within seconds, they knew he was actively having a stroke. Due to where they were in the mountains, it was faster for them to drive Jack to the nearest hospital instead of waiting for an ambulance. While this is NOT something we recommend, it was 100% the right call given the circumstances. They got him to the hospital to initiate stroke protocols just in time. Jesus took the wheel for sure during that drive- and Kahla saved Dad's life that night.

After the initial scans, it was determined that Jack needed to be transferred to a higher-level trauma hospital. He was flown to Knoxville, and then rushed back for emergency surgery as soon as he arrived. Mom & Kahla helplessly watched from their car below as the helicopter took off, then drove to Knoxville. This was happening simultaneously as Jamie and Jack (grandson) quickly packed to leave Indy, and Erika was booking the next flight out of Iowa. Traveling in the middle of the night to make it to Dad’s bedside was excruciating.

Our Dad made it through surgery. He had 100% blockage in his carotid artery, and a stent was placed to help open blood flow. The stroke hit the left side of his brain, smack dab in Broca’s area, which controls speech and articulation. We were also told that the right side of his body was paralyzed. The extent of the damage wouldn’t be known until later when Jack woke up. The surgeons and physicians kept reminding us of everything he couldn't do and how sick he was. But they didn't know the same Jack Roudebush as we did- the strongest, most stubborn man ever! The idea of him never speaking again was crushing. Never hearing an epic Jack story or listening to a holiday dinner prayer so long that left the food on the table cold wasn’t even an option for us.

The following month was full of more ups and downs that we can’t begin to articulate here. It was a whirlwind of improvements and setbacks, including finally returning to Indianapolis and being admitted to an acute rehab hospital. Soon after he was admitted, he endured a tough inpatient hospitalization at Methodist due to an infection. In early November, he was discharged from his acute rehab hospital and admitted to a subacute facility to continue rehab. The time he is in the subacute facility allows us the time we need to prepare to bring him home safely.

That brings us to today, and it's where you come in! As a family, we’ve held off reaching out for help because we know it’s not what Dad would want- Mom, too. We also know they are intensely private, so we’re treading lightly out of respect for both of them. Yet here we are doing what they've done for us all these years- we’re doing what’s best for them in the long run.

The financial blow this sudden crisis has caused is massive. There’s only so much insurance will cover, and it’s not enough. Multiple home improvements must be made before or soon after we bring him home in December. The list is long, and will take time to check everything off. Add on the fact that winter is knocking at the door, and the holidays are right around the corner.

Here's what is urgently needed to get done and what all of the donations we receive will go towards:

One step forward, two steps back has been the name of the game over here since September 20th. For Jack to be where he is today is nothing short of a miracle. We can't thank our extended family and friends enough for all your love and support since our lives were turned upside down.

Our Dad's roots run deep in our community, so please share this on your socials and your inner circle. If you’re local, chances are you know someone who knows him- most likely through basketball and the hundreds of lives he's impacted through coaching.

Our Mom misses her husband of over 50 years. We miss our Dad. And our children deeply miss their Papa. We have no doubt that the Jack we all know and love is still in there. And once he regains more speech, we will NEVER tune out what he has to say ever again.

We'll keep updating this page as our extraordinary husband, Dad, and Papa keeps crushing every obstacle thrown his way!