Hi everyone,

I'm Rosie Volcano. My dad, Tom Swartz, almost died back in January 2022. I was with him when he had his last rites, and everyone in his family has said goodbye to him. He was on a ventilator and unconscious for over two weeks.

We all prayed for a miracle.

I believe he had hundreds if not thousands of people from all different religions and backgrounds praying for his recovery. The doctors said it was doubtful that he would come back to us... BUT HE DID. We want to thank each and every one of you who prayed for Tom or sent him healing energy. Our family greatly appreciated your efforts.

We got our first miracle! Yay!

Since then, the road to recovery has been long and confusing. As he's been recovering from the original illness (pneumonia), he's developed something called "Post-Intensive Care Syndrome," which can include the following:

Tom has been struggling with all these things, but the biggest concern is the Paralysis or Critical Illness Myopathy. Although this is somewhat normal for someone who has been intubated, it is incredibly rare for someone to be paralyzed to the extent that Tom is at this point, 8+ weeks after being extubated. As of now, he can only move his right hand to scratch his nose and wiggle his toes. He still cannot hold or use a phone or sit up or go to the bathroom. The doctors are still finishing some tests to determine the final prognosis, but they believe there is no reason he shouldn't make a full recovery with time.

The issue we need your help with is this: the cost of recovery. At the age of 69, Tom continued to work doing renovations and carpentry. My Mom has a chronic illness of her own and cannot work. Though they have Medicare, it only covers 20 days in a rehab facility. My dad will need much more time (at least three months) to learn how to use his body again. Even at a discounted rate, most of these facilities cost about $200 a day, totaling roughly $12,000 for an additional 60 days. That's why we're starting the fundraiser with that amount. We are trying to help cover the time he will need in rehab to recover.

Even after he gets home, he will never be able to do the work he used to do again and will need to find another way to support himself and my mom. This will take time and many more tiny miracles.

This is the post-miracle journey.

Over his life, Tom has been one of the most generous and selfless men I've known. He has always been the guy who was willing to help someone out, even if it meant emptying his own pockets. He donated to charities and to his church every week, he was always looking out for single moms especially. I hope that with this fundraiser, his many generous acts will come back around to him to support him in this time of need.

If you have a little or a lot to spare, please consider helping Tom on his road to recovery. Every little bit helps.

The Swartz Family is so grateful for your generosity in advance. Thank you so much for your gifts, your presence and your love.