John and Kim Pucciarelli Need Your Help

Dear friends and family,

My brother, John and his wife, Kim are experiencing a catastrophic life setback. This past week, on January 3rd, Kim was not feeling well (bad cough) and began to feel an ache throughout her body. She thought she was coming down with the flu and went to bed. In the early morning hours, she awoke to uncontrollable spasming throughout her body, blurry vision, and paralysis in her legs. She was immediately transported to the hospital and after several days of ruling out everything from a stroke to ALS and MS, she was finally, through an MRI and a spinal tap diagnosed with a rare medical condition called Guillain Barre Syndrome.

GBS is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack part of the peripheral nervous system. This syndrome is rare, affecting about one in 100,000 people. Kim’s case is severe and there is no known cure. The doctors are currently treating her with immunoglobulin IVs to slow down the progression of the disease. The first six weeks are very trying as the conditions of the disease get worse before they get better. Kim remains in the hospital and when the doctors are confident that her condition is improving, she will be transferred to a rehabilitation facility to begin the slow process of trying to walk again and gain strength in her body. Her recovery process may take several months to several years. She will surely need long-term care and medical assistance if she can return to her home.

I am reaching out to all of you with the hope that you could find it in your hearts to financially help my brother through this tough time. As many of you know, John is self-employed and the sole employee of his business. If he doesn’t work, he doesn’t get paid and John sees a long road ahead caring for Kim while the bills pile up. Kim receives SSDI and the only insurance they have for her is Medicare which will not pay for all of their medical expenses. Many of you know and love John. He is a great guy and will do anything for someone in need. The Pucciarelli and the Peters family are there to support him emotionally but it would be comforting to know that his mortgage and household expenses are being covered and perhaps there is money left to help with medical bills and Kim’s medical care if and when she returns home.

I know that there are great people out there that will help. Even a little bit will go a long way. We thank everyone who has already reached out to John and Kim in their time of great need and we thank our future supporters for their kindness, understanding, and generosity. God bless you all.

The Pucciarelli Family