Kevin’s Miracle Fund Raiser

Dear friends,

We are Sandy Franklin and Peggy Burke, two close friends of the Connington/Badalian family. We’re reaching out today with a heartfelt plea to support one of the most beautiful souls we’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing: our beautiful friend Kevin Badalian.

Ours is actually one of a series of several campaigns launched for Kevin since he was stricken with Lyme disease in 2012. These campaigns continue because his disease continues. And because he is surrounded by a large, compassionate community who love him. We include people who knew him growing up in Colorado, his network in San Francisco where he lived for 10 years, new friends in Mexico, and by people who have never met him but continue to be inspired to help him.

After engaging a dozen doctors and at least twice as many protocols – all expensive and out of pocket—Kev’s disease progressed with the energy of a lion. The losses have been gradual but relentless, worsening to the point where he is now in a wheelchair and requiring full time care. He’s also infected with long COVID now, like hundreds of thousands of people across the world, which has taken another wicked toll on his strength and energy. Meanwhile, Karen, his mom and main caregiver is beginning to feel the toll, still managing his care but with considerably less energy herself. They are both, it goes without saying, exhausted beyond limits.

So, the bad news is that Kevin’s illness has pressed on. But the good news—which we are excited to bring you today—is that treatments for Lyme disease have also progressed. Some of his more recent protocols are gradually moving his system into new levels of function. This Spring, he’s actually sprung into a bit of action, rising and walking occasionally across the room for the first time in years, and sitting outside sometimes, happily freed from the confines of his bed.

This is a huge turning point for Kevin and Karen. If they can raise enough money now to keep the treatments propelling his improvements, they may actually gain enough ground to pull out of this jungle. This would be nothing short of a miracle.

Kevin is still here because he loves life and wants to try everything possible in order to live it; because he is a warrior. Despite all he has endured, he continues to fight with every ounce of strength in his mind, body and enormous spirit.

But he can’t do it alone. To those of you who have already donated to support Kevin’s treatment, we thank you deeply. You have helped make so many previous protocols possible, continuing to gift him with a bit more health and a lot more hope. Someone once described hope as a verb, a conscious action we take that responds by providing us the energy to endure.

To our friends in Colorado, we reach out to you in loving memory of Kevin’s cousins, Danny and Matt Axtel, and his father, John Badalian. This family’s losses have been formidable. We also reach out on behalf of his brother, Patrick Badalian who still lives here in the Valley, and his beloved ‘Yogi aunt,’ Joann Connington, now in Paonia.

We trust in the amazing compassion and loyalty of his entire community. We know and trust that each of will be inspired to give Kevin everything he needs to step up and out into the world again. It needs him as much as he needs the world. It’s simply a win-win.

In gratitude and light,

Sandy Franklin, Peggy Burke, Karen Connington, Kevin &Patrick Badalian, Joann Connington, and the special loving touch of David Goldstein