Support For The Meighan Family

With heavy hearts, we said goodbye to Jim today after his near 3 month struggle. Jim was able to say goodbye to his beloved family members over the past two days, and left this world at peace. With respect to the staff at Brigham and Women’s Cardiac ICU, no words of thanks will ever be enough. Their care and compassion was remarkable. They made a Herculean effort from the day they received Jim and left no stone unturned. We were blessed that Jim was in their care. Jim’s family was his top priority until he took his last breath, but he will rest easy knowing Jen, his best friend and devoted wife, Ellie and Brady, the lights of his life and reason his world turned, Beth, his mother, Debbie, his sister, and David, his brother, and Jim’s other family members are surrounded by love and light. Thank you all for the continued outpouring of support. And thank you Jim for always being a pillar of strength in our world. We love you.  

Thank you for all that donated.  Jen and the kids will benefit from all your donations to tackle the medical bills, as well as the everyday bills we all endure. 

We are reaching out with heavy hearts and a plea for help for the Meighan family. On August 8th, our brother-in-law, Jim, underwent a mitral valve repair surgery that took a devastating turn for the worse. What should have been a step towards better health and time with his family has left him fighting for his life.

Jim now finds himself on full life support, including ECMO and dialysis, and spent the first three and a half weeks on a ventilator before regaining the strength to breathe on his own. He is now in complete heart and kidney failure, and his best chance at survival are heart and kidney transplants. Jim’s medical team is working to stabilize his condition to a point where he is eligible for the necessary transplants, but the road ahead is long and uncertain.

Jim isn't just a loving husband to his wife, Jen; he's her rock, and they have been together for nearly 20 years. Their children, Eleanor and Braeden, mean the world to him. Eleanor is a college senior studying studio art, and Braeden is a high school senior who is applying to college to study engineering. Jim's unwavering support and love have been integral in motivating them to work towards their futures.

Jim has been a dedicated and highly valued employee at Gulfstream Aerospace for 25 years. He's not only the sole provider for his family of four, but also the go-to person for work around the house, car repairs, and financial support. His dedication extends beyond his job and his family; he's also proud veteran who served in the Army for 6 years.

Unfortunately, Jim's current condition prevents him from working. When he receives the heart and kidney transplants, the recovery will be lengthy. The increasing medical bills and household expenses are overwhelming. We are reaching out to our friends, family, and community for support during this challenging journey.

Any generous donations will go directly towards Jim's medical expenses, including the cost of his ongoing and future treatments, as well as helping to maintain the Meighan household. Every contribution, no matter the size, will take off some of the overwhelming stress in their lives.

For Jim’s entire life, he has shown admirable strength, resilience and motivation. Together, we can help him in his fight for his life and ensure that his time with his family is not cut short. Your consideration of supporting the Meighan family is deeply appreciated and means more than words can express. 

Jim Update:

Hello Friends and Family: Carl and I were at Brigham today visiting Jim…..Big News: during PT today Jim stood for the first time since his surgery, and then did it a second time!!!! The PT folks are thrilled! Jim said to them, "I guess you guys are happy with this?" ☺️ Jim looked good and was very alert. He immediately got into dad mode and grilled us Brady’s about college progress. We assured Jim that Brady is on top of it, and we will be bringing Brady back for second visits at the schools he is applying to. The OT and respiratory folks also said today is a good day for Jim. We saw him for 30 minutes before PT and about 10 minutes after PT. He was very tired after PT (quite a day for that) so we said our goodbyes and let him snooze. We told Jim he's so strong and to keep at it! Jim is beyond grateful for his family and friend, and all the love and support. ❤️