Please help D’Arcy Stephens and his family

As we head into Thanksgiving weekend, many of us are looking forward to turkey dinners and spending time with loved ones. But for the Stephens family, they are learning that what we are most grateful for can suddenly be taken away without warning or reason.

On the evening of October 8, D’Arcy Stephens, 35, a family man and gas fitter was involved in a horrendous accident while on a job. The residential home he was called to exploded while he was working, causing severe, life-changing injuries.

D’Arcy was taken to the Uxbridge Hospital and then immediately rushed to the Toronto Burn Unit, along with the resident of the house. D’Arcy remains there in critical condition in a medically induced coma. He suffered burns all over his body, with severe burns to his hands, forearms, face and neck. D’Arcy had immediate emergency surgery as an attempt to save his hands and eyesight and we can only hope these surgeries were successful.

The family has since found out that immediately after the explosion, D’Arcy fought his way out of the house, escaping through a basement window, undoubtedly thinking about his three young children and the love of his life waiting for him at home. He was doing everything he could to make sure they still had a father and partner.

Alicia, 32, is a stay at home mom and the couple have three amazing children: Zander, 9, Maddox, 6, and Oriah, 4. Ask anyone close to D’Arcy and they will tell you, everything D’Arcy does is for his family. From telling Alicia to follow her dreams because her happiness is all that matters to him, to making sure his son (who suffers from a life-threatening allergy) is always in a safe environment, to working extra hours so his family has everything they need — everything is for his family.

He is kind, funny, a friend who would give you the shirt off his back, a very loving father, and according to Alicia, “the most caring, attentive husband and fun loving dad.”

D’Arcy and his family current reside in Bowmanville, Ontario; however, D’arcy grew up in the small town of Port Perry and Alicia grew up in Winnipeg. The two met 10 years ago in Toronto and started their family in Calgary, and then moved to Winnipeg before retuning to Ontario to be closer to friends and family.

This fundraising campaign will ensure that D’Arcy and his family can concentrate on his healing and putting his life back together after this devastating tragedy. The funds raised in this campaign will go directly to Alicia and D’Arcy to cover the inevitable costs and financial stress that comes from such desperate times, simply to cover everyday things like daycare, food,rent, parking fees and gas.

While D’Arcy remains in critical condition, Alicia and her children would like to thank everyone for their support during this extremely difficult and traumatic time, and they want to remind everyone to hug those they are thankful for a little tighter this Thanksgiving.