Help Annie Regain Joy, Comfort & Connection After a Life-Changing Stroke

To know Annie is to love her.

My mom, Ann Schaser, has spent her entire life taking care of others. As a retired nurse’s aide, caretaker, pastor’s wife, devoted mom, and grandmother. She has always shown up for people in the moments that matter most. Whether it was volunteering at church, visiting the sick, donating money, or offering the literal shirt off her back, Annie has always lived to serve others.

She cared for my dad through his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, watched my children while I worked, and supported friends and family through every trial, all with unwavering faith, compassion, and selflessness.

A Sudden, Life-Altering Stroke

In August 2024, our world turned upside down when my mom suffered a massive stroke that damaged 90% of the right side of her brain. Overnight, the woman who was driving and watching her grandkids became paralyzed on her entire left side and bound to a wheelchair.

She cannot stand, walk, use the toilet, or dress herself. She has no core support and cannot even adjust her position in bed or her chair without help. Her vision is impaired, which prevents her from using a power wheelchair safely.

And yet , despite all of this ,her faith and spirit remain unshakable. Every morning, her first prayer is still:

“God, help me to be a blessing to someone today.”

She continues to radiate gratitude, love, and contentment, even from her nursing home room. She reminds everyone around her that joy doesn’t come from circumstances, but from the heart.

Our Hope: More Time Together, More Comfort for Mom

Mom’s greatest joy is spending time at my house with her grandkids : laughing, talking, and being part of our everyday life. Unfortunately, due to limited handicap transportation options, the only way to bring her home is to rent a wheelchair-accessible van, which costs $180–$300 each trip.

Access Link is a wonderful service, but it has limited routes and long wait times. Because my mom cannot use a public restroom, those long delays often make travel impossible.

We would love to bring her home more often for holidays, birthdays, dinners, or just simple days with family but the cost makes it difficult. Also we want to take her to church again on a regular basis.

In addition, therapy is crucial for her comfort and mobility. Because of strict insurance limits, she doesn’t always qualify for daily therapy sessions. Without stretching and physical therapy, her body stiffens painfully, and her quality of life declines. We have a wonderful private therapist who visits her and lifts her spirits, but I often have to pay out-of-pocket.

How Your Donation Helps

Every donation, no matter how small, helps provide:

• Wheelchair van rentals to bring Mom home for family visits and outings. Church.

• Private physical therapy sessions to keep her comfortable, flexible, and pain-free

• ❤️ A better quality of life filled with love, faith, and connection rather than isolation and to aid in paying for any of moms additional needs and comfort/social needs.

When my parents entered the nursing home, all of their savings were spent. As a mom of two young children, it’s humbling to ask for help but I’m doing this because my mom deserves to experience the same love she’s poured into the world for so many years.

She has always shown up for others. Now, I’m hoping others can show up for her.

From Our Family

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, sharing, or contributing. Your generosity means more than words can express. You’re helping a remarkable woman, a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend continue to live each day with dignity, comfort, and joy.

With love and gratitude,

Rachel Durham & Family