My name is Gretchen Tropeano and I’d like to tell you about a dear friend….

Betty Geitner was eagerly anticipating her favorite week of the year—the annual family vacation to the Outer Banks with over 45 of her loved ones. However, just days before the trip, Betty had a bad fall. She sought medical attention, and although tests showed no broken bones, she was sore but cleared to travel.

On the night of her arrival in the Outer Banks, Betty suddenly lost the ability to walk or move on her own. She was rushed by ambulance to the Outer Banks Hospital, where she was initially treated for a suspected stroke. Since the hospital isn't a trauma center, she was transferred an hour and a half away to the ICU at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center.

At Chesapeake, doctors determined that Betty had not suffered a stroke. After several tests, including an MRI, a neurosurgeon discovered a severe fracture in her upper back and neck area. The fracture was in an old surgical graft that had weakened over time, likely putting pressure on her spinal cord.

Surgery was necessary, but it had to be delayed due to the blood thinners and other medications she received for the presumed stroke. Three days later, Betty’s condition worsened, and she underwent a 12-hour surgery to repair the fracture.

After surgery, Betty was intubated for 14 days. She now has no use of her left arm, minimal use of her legs and feet, and can only move her right arm and hand on command. She is nonverbal and communicates by blinking when alert. Two weeks later, a tracheostomy was performed, but she still requires a high-flow cannula as she’s not yet strong enough to breathe on her own. All of this has occurred 6.5 hours away from her home and family in Latrobe, PA.

On August 16, 2024, Betty was approved to be moved from the ICU. The doctors hope she’ll soon be strong enough to be transferred to a facility in Western PA for continued recovery. However, the medical transport will cost over $10,000 and is not covered by insurance.

I’m setting up this GoFundMe to help the family cover these transport costs and to assist with travel expenses. Betty will likely be in Pittsburgh, an hour away from her home in Latrobe, and her husband, Denny, will be traveling daily to be with her, along with visits from their extended family.

Betty, Denny, and their family have always been pillars of their community, first in St. Mary’s, PA, and now in Latrobe. Please consider donating any amount you can. If you’re unable to donate, please support them with your prayers for a smooth transfer and a full recovery for this beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Thank you!