Please Support Mike's Devastating Stroke Recovery!

Just 6 days after their wedding, devastation hit the home of my daughter and her husband, Michelle and Mike Pennington. On the morning of May 29th, on Michelle's birthday, she discovered Mike unresponsive on their bedroom floor as he was getting ready for work. What should be the most joyful period of their lives as newlyweds has instead been overshadowed by uncertainty, fear, and heartbreak.

The following week was spent in the ICU in Rapid City SD, where doctors worked around the clock to stabilize Mike's brain due to complications that followed the stroke. Those who know Mike know he is a fighter, and his survival that first week was nothing short of a miracle. He has since been accepted to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Denver, one of the top rehab hospitals in the nation for spinal cord and brain injuries. He was transported to Craig via Medflight and is currently receiving intense rehab therapy following this life-changing stroke. While he is making incredible progress every day considering the severity of the stroke, both Mike and Michelle are facing a mountain of challenges and unknowns moving forward.

Life is on hold for the couple, but that doesn't mean the "real world " has been put on pause. Michelle's daughter, my granddaughter, is still at home in Custer, struggling with being alone and trying to maintain the household. Bills must be paid and even though they are married, Michelle has quickly learned that doesn't matter when financial accounts still have to be combined and she needs permission from Mike to access his accounts, something he can't provide because of the stroke and it's long-term complications.

His parents, and Steve and I, are doing everything we can to support them from both California and Arizona. Now I am reaching out on their behalf to help cover their extensive upcoming expenses. It's unlikely Mike will be able to return to work as a mountain carver at Crazy Horse Memorial after FMLA runs out, and he will soon lose his insurance. Michelle is staying with Mike in Denver so she can be by his side and be his advocate, while balancing remote work for her full-time job with Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. Mike will need to continue therapy once back in Custer and has already qualified for a follow-up program at Craig Hospital next spring. I know their support network is spread across the country, and I am confident we can all pull together to help them get back on their feet once they are home from Denver and the home modification and medical bills start rolling in.