Medical and Funeral Expenses for Jamie Carter

James “Jamie” Carter, husband and father of three, died June 28, 2021, due to respiratory complications of the COVID-19 virus.

Jamie grew up in Adel, Georgia, but met the love of his life, Kristi Hutchinson, in Greensboro, North Carolina, where they married in 1996 and settled in Mt. Gilead, NC to raise their three sons, James (24), Zackary (18), and Konner (15). Jamie went to work in Kristi's family's restaurant until it was sold in 2013. He was always known as quick to lend a hand, fire up a grill, or just show up to help whenever he could.

In 2012, medical tests revealed that he had an inoperable, growing cyst in his brain. Nevertheless, Jamie maintained an active role as husband and father, even when his deteriorating health forced him to slow down.

Despite his failing health, Jamie was an active troop leader in the Boy Scouts of America for years, during which time his oldest son, Jay, achieved his Eagle Scout badge.

Even after the diagnosis, Jamie was active in the community and school sports, volunteering for almost a decade as a football and baseball coach for his youngest son Konner's teams.

He was a solid supporter of his son Zack, who was diagnosed on the Autism spectrum at an early age. Determined to live a full life, Zack pursued a goal of military service with Jamie supporting him in ROTC as well as working with his grandfather in the local volunteer fire department.

In 2019, Zack was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a genetic disorder that leaves most of its victims, typically children, completely blind. The disease advanced quickly, leaving Zack legally blind after only two years. Despite this devastating setback, Zack graduated high school a few short weeks ago. This could have only been accomplished through Jamie’s support of Zack during that extremely difficult period.

Throughout the COVID pandemic of 2020, Jamie sought the advice of his doctor concerning the disease, especially due to his own medical history. His doctor advised him of a significant risk of serious side effects from the COVID vaccine, which prevented him from getting the vaccine. Severe food allergies, including a previous reaction to the flu shot, meant that Kristi was also unable to receive a vaccine once it became available. The family doctor advised that Jamie and his family needed to be extra careful, restricting their lifestyle to maintain their safety.

He strictly followed his doctor's advice and used social distancing and personal protective equipment constantly. His family did the same, using self-quarantines if a possible exposure was even suspected. They used delivery services and curbside pick-ups exclusively with the grocery store and other retailers, even after stores opened. To increase their safety, Kristi chose to work from home, the boys attended school online, and they had minimal social interaction outside of the immediate family.

Despite all the precautions, Jamie and his family began showing respiratory symptoms in the middle of June 2021. A test revealed days later they were infected with COVID-19. With low oxygen saturation levels, Jamie spent Father’s Day and night in the hospital, away from his family, before being released the following day after improvement.

Just days later, he was admitted once again. This time, the diagnosis was double pneumonia, which quickly became fatal. He passed away on June 28th, even as his wife and children began making strides towards recovery.

Because of his pre-existing medical conditions, Jamie was ineligible for life insurance. The goal of this GoFundMe account is to raise $15,000 for immediate expenses, including Jamie's imminent funeral costs. The family has significant financial obligations, as they face life's challenges without Jamie, who was a loving and supportive husband and father.

We hope that this GoFundMe account will allow those who are able, an opportunity to show the same generosity of spirit and willingness to help the Carter family that Jamie had for his family, friends, and the local community.

No matter the amount raised, every dollar will be a blessing.