Skaar Family Fund

Hello, my name is Jessica Gelhar. I am a certified registered nurse anesthetist practicing at a Wausau hospital. I have had the privilege of working with Tom Skaar for several years. I first had the honor of working with Tom when he was a RN House Supervisor. My pager would go off in the middle of the night and Tom’s kind and cheerful voice made the inevitable news that interrupted my sleep much more tolerable. Tom is a compassionate nurse that has provided care to many trauma and critical care patients in our community. Please consider supporting the Skaar family as they heal and navigate planning the memorial for Ian. 

On Saturday, September 17, Tom and his wife Leah and their two children were driving home from a family outing when their truck was hit nearly head on by a drunk driver. Ian, age 8, was killed in the crash. Leah was taken by life flight to Wausau Aspirus Hospital with several injuries and later underwent surgery. Tom and 9-year-old Julia sustained minor physical injuries and have been supporting Leah in the hospital continuously.

Tom and his family are well known in their community for their unbelievable kindness and generosity. If you know them personally, it is likely they have impacted your life positively in some way by bringing you homemade baked goods or farm-grown produce, helped stock your freezer with meat or your barn with hay, or lent a supportive word during hard times. Tom and Leah run Skaar Family Farm in Gleason and are active members of their church.

Julia and Ian developed the same selfless nature as their parents and have cared for animals and shown compassion for people since they were old enough to walk.

This tragedy has impacted their family immeasurably. While they do have health insurance, the out-of-pocket costs for care related to the accident and subsequent surgery are expected to be astronomical. Missed work to grieve the loss of their son and heal from injuries will also impact their finances significantly. Lastly, funeral costs are expected to surpass $10,000. Please consider donating to the Skaar Family Fund.