In the early hours of July 4th, on the Renzella farm in Friendly, WV, Billie Jo West, 45, suffered a debilitating stroke while cooking pizzas for her son Xander and Robert’s two nieces and a nephew. With no cell service, her son Xander’s quick and heroic action kept the other children calm while transporting his mother to Sistersville General Hospital and the awaiting helicopter. Billie was life-flighted to Ruby Memorial in Morgantown, WV, in critical condition and spent 10 days in the Trauma wing of the hospital and another 2 weeks at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital.

Due to the severity of the stroke, Billie Jo lost all sensation on the right side of her body and is currently continuing physical and occupational therapy at home to relearn how to walk without the assistance of a walker.

Anyone who knows Billie knows she is a fiercely independent and outgoing soul with a heart of gold and a personality far larger than her 4’11” frame.

Just days before her stroke, she was fired from her job due to missing work helping to set up donation centers for flood victims in the Ohio Valley. Sadly, she doesn’t qualify for unemployment benefits because the state rules she cannot actively look for work.

Therefore, she has no active income, and as a single mother supporting herself and her son, this stroke has been devastating financially. She has been relying on her 21-year-old daughter, a 4th-year nursing student, to help support her and her son. While this does not faze Taylor, it negatively affects Billie knowing her daughter is just starting out her life.

We are reaching out during this heartbreaking time to ask for your support. The medical bills are overwhelming, and Billie now faces the unimaginable task of navigating life with a son still in high school while holding onto hope and managing expenses.

Your donation—no matter how big or small—will help ease the financial burden on this family. Funds raised will go directly toward:

* Medical bills and life flight transport

* Support for Xander as he navigates his senior year of high school

* Living expenses during this critical and uncertain time: rent, electric, water, transportation to and from therapy

Please consider sharing this campaign with your friends, family, and community. Your prayers, love, and support mean more than words can express.

With deepest gratitude,

The Renzella and West families