Stroke Survivor Gerry Needs Your Help!

Many of you know Gerry Viceral as a dashing ballroom dancer and cheerful friend who loves to have fun and is always the life of the party. His warm presence at community events is always noted, and he loves connecting with friends, beloved classmates, and his family.

As you may have heard in recent months, Gerry has been experiencing health challenges, with vertigo and dizziness, feeling weak—not his familiar shiny self! This June, Gerry experienced two life-changing strokes accompanied by seizures and multiple hospitalizations (almost 5 in total!). As a result of this unforeseen medical trauma, Gerry is experiencing some common but debilitating stroke effects, namely speech aphasia (inability to speak) and persistent severe right side limb deficiency. While he has already started to undergo rehab therapy and is making progress, his family is struggling as we help with medical bills for his multiple hospital stays and related treatments that are crucial to restoring his health and independence.

In order to regain necessary life skills, his therapists have determined that Gerry requires a minimum of 8 weeks of additional speech therapy (possibly more) and will continue to need physical and occupational therapy. Goals established by his therapists include: work on right-side mobility (arm and leg), intensive speech therapy, daily living skills, and basic self-care (i.e. occupational therapy). Gerry's most important goal is to return home and lead a joyful and fulfilling life with this second chance. Based on the skills he develops and the milestones he achieves, that roadmap may shift; but his intention is to be home in Las Vegas, and one day out on the dancefloor again. It is a long road to recovery, but Gerry and his family remain hopeful that he will make new pathways and achieve an active and fulfilling “new normal”!

Gerry is always joking, full of smiles and love, and everyone who has come into his hospital or recovery rooms during his ongoing, intensive treatment always leaves smiling, laughing, and inspired by his will and determination to improve.

As his insurance is hitting its maximum, the current facility that Gerry is in will be an out-of-pocket copay as of Aug 1st! This is a constant concern to Gerry and his family, who have tapped into their life savings to make ends meet during this difficult time. As a result, we have taken the vital step of posting this GoFundMe, hosted by Gerry’s daughters Renee and Lea, who are coordinating his care.

Donations will be used for:

Gerry is committed to improving his physical and mental capabilities and working well with his therapists, who have shown fantastic dedication and commitment to his recovery.

We truly don’t know how we’re going to manage these expenses without your help. Please help us –Gerry’s devoted daughters– fund the treatment and care our dad urgently needs to get him back on his feet and out on the dance floor for what we know will be an exciting second act of an already luminous life!