Saturday, May 1, 2021 Drew Smith was doubled over with severe abdominal pain, unable to move, and constantly vomiting.  He was taken to the emergency room where he was immediately admitted.  The original diagnosis was pancreatitis.  He was given medication and was told that he would be able to go home in 5 days at the latest.   After several hours in the ER, the doctors were still unable to get his pain under control and his body started crashing.  Day after day, his condition worsened – his pain was unbearable, his body became septic, and his lungs began to fill with fluid.  Tuesday, May 4th his kidneys began to show signs of damage and his doctors felt that the best course of action was to intubate him and put him in a medically induced coma so that his body could rest and hopefully heal.  The doctors believe that he will be on the ventilator for a minimum of 5 days, but that his stay in the hospital will be much longer. 

His beautiful wife Laura is a flight attendant and is unable to work while Drew is in the hospital.  Not only does Drew watch their young children while she is flying, Laura does not feel comfortable being hours away from him while he is unstable.  They do have insurance, but as most of us know, that only covers a small portion of medical expenses.  Unfortunately bills pile up and do not go away when we have a crisis and often times, they only get worse.

Those of you that know Drew and Laura know that their energy and their love for life is infectious.  On a daily basis, Drew positively impacts children with his humor and his love for coaching.  He believes in the kids he coaches which in turn allows them to believe in themselves.  Because of his impact on their lives, they are inspired to set goals, work hard, and strive to be better every day.

Please, if you find it within your means to help this incredible young family, no donation is too small and will greatly be appreciated.