To our desperate family

My name is Jelena, and I’m reaching out because my family’s life has been shattered, and we desperately need help to survive.

In June 2024, what should have been a beautiful holiday in Bulgaria turned into an unthinkable nightmare. My husband Jeff (originally Jevgenijs) our little son Andrew, and I returned home unaware of the invisible danger we had encountered—Legionella bacteria, either from our hotel or the flight back. My son Andrew and I managed to recover, but Jeff wasn’t so lucky.

The illness hit him hard, and within days, he fell into a coma. For eight agonizing days, I sat by his side at Bradford Royal Infirmary, praying he would wake up. When he finally did, we were met with more devastating news: the infection had caused necrosis, severely damaging both of his feet and three fingers on his only hand—his left arm—because he had already lost the right on in childhood. Now, doctors have no choice but to amputate both of his feet.

Before all of this, Jeff was the pillar of our family. Together, we worked tirelessly to build a future, running two businesses to keep our heads above water, even during the pandemic. Like so many others, we had to take out loans—£10,000 each, plus a £20,000 bounce-back loan—to stay afloat. We worked hard, day in and day out, paying off as much as we could, never stopping, never giving up.

Even now, I’m working full-time to try and keep us afloat. I’ve never stopped working, not even through all of this. I spend my days trying to provide for our family, running from work to the hospital, and my nights are filled with worry over how we’ll make it through. Our oldest son, Denis, who is 19, has stepped up in ways that no teenager should have to. Not only is he tirelessly looking for work to support us, but he is also his dad’s carer. Every day, Denis helps Jeff with tasks that have become impossible for him to do on his own. He does it with so much love and without complaint, but I know it’s an enormous burden for someone so young.

Alongside the larger loans, we also have smaller ones and everyday expenses that keep piling up. However, we’re not asking for help with those—we know those are our responsibility.

We’ve always prided ourselves on being self-sufficient, but this has broken us. Jeff, the strongest person I know, is now facing life without his feet and with only one hand. He can’t do the things he loved, the things he worked so hard for, or the things that made him the amazing father and husband he is. Watching him struggle, knowing how much he’s lost, breaks my heart every single day. And as much as I try to stay strong for our little boy Andrew, I’m terrified of what the future holds.

I never imagined we’d be here—pleading for help just to keep our family together and survive. But I don’t know what else to do.

What hurts the most is seeing the light in Jeff’s eyes dim, bit by bit. The man who always smiled, who always reassured us that everything would be okay, is now struggling to find a reason to keep going. Our little boy keeps asking, “When will Daddy get better?” and I don’t have the heart to tell him that things may never go back to how they were.

If you’re reading this, I am begging you to please help us. Anything you can give—a donation, a share, or even a prayer—will mean more to us than words could ever express. We just want a chance to rebuild, to give Jeff the care he needs, and to create a future where our sons don’t have to see their parents crumbling under the weight of it all.

Thank you for taking the time to hear our story. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for any help you can give. You might just be the miracle we’ve been praying for.