In February 2025, our friend and coworker Mary Nell Sparks suffered a serious bicycle accident that resulted in her right arm breaking in three places. What initially seemed like a difficult but straightforward injury quickly turned into a long, painful, and exhausting medical journey.

After surgery to repair her arm, complications began to arise in April, leading to multiple hospital stays, scans, and unanswered questions. By May, doctors discovered she had developed a severe infection that required an emergency irrigation and debridement surgery, a week-long hospital stay, and a PICC line so she could receive IV antibiotics at home. During that surgery, her ulnar nerve was severely damaged, causing her to lose significant dexterity and function in her dominant right hand.

Despite months of treatment and recovery, the challenges didn’t stop there. In December 2025, after consulting with her infectious disease and orthopedic teams, doctors agreed that the safest option was to remove all the hardware in her arm to prevent the infection from returning. A hand specialist was also brought in to perform a nerve transfer and decompression in hopes of restoring function to her hand.

Unfortunately, once surgery began, doctors discovered the infection was still active—and that the bone had not healed. This led to yet another week-long hospital stay, removal of the hardware, and another PICC line in hopes of finally eliminating the infection for good.

She is currently dealing with ongoing complications, severe physical limitations, and a semi-hard cast on her right arm. She also has strict weight restrictions on her left arm due to the PICC line, making everyday tasks—and working—extremely difficult.

As a bartender at Mirror Twin, her job depends entirely on the use of her hands. Between extended time off work, mounting medical bills, and the emotional toll of repeated setbacks, the financial strain has become overwhelming.

We’re raising money to help support her with:

Medical bills and ongoing treatment

Lost income during recovery

Basic living expenses while she focuses on healing

Any amount helps, whether through a donation or simply sharing this page. Thank you for supporting someone who has always shown up for others and is now facing one of the hardest chapters of her life.