On November 14th, our sweet nephew, Joshua, was in a serious dirt bike accident that left him with a fractured skull and a brain bleed. He was rushed to the hospital and underwent brain surgery. When Joshua was opened for brain surgery the extent of bleeding that had taken place was severe. They found several locations within the skull that became impacted by Joshua’s injuries. He suffered an epidural hematoma, a skull fracture, intracranial and extra-axial hemorrhaging. Joshua will need to remain in intensive care for several weeks while his medical team monitor the swelling of his brain and the extent of his injuries. Joshua will have a piece of his skull removed for at least 3 months, if he were to return home before his skull bone is able to be transferred back to his head he will go home with a helmet on. Recovery and rehabilitation is expected to take at least a year with any complications that remain after that point likely becoming permanent. Therapy will become a large part of Joshua’s recovery but the extent of the services needed is not yet known and cannot be determined yet.

His parents, Dustin and Melissa, have not left his side. As they focus entirely on their son’s recovery, they will need time away from work and support with the unexpected financial burden that comes with a medical crisis like this.

We are creating this GoFundMe so they can stay close to him without the added stress of lost income, food and travel costs, and medical and recovery related expenses. Our hope is simply to help them breathe a little easier during an impossibly heavy time.

Our family cannot begin to express our gratitude for the amount of community members who have rallied around Joshua and his parents. Your thoughts, prayers, shares, and support are appreciated beyond measure.

No amount is too small, and every share helps. If you are able to donate, share, or keep Joshua in your prayers, our family would be deeply grateful. Your kindness means more than you know.

Thank you for lifting this family up and helping them stay strong alongside their boy.