Support Brian and Kim Through This Crisis.

This is Brian, he’s my husband, and my best friend for over 24 years, served in the U.S Navy for 11 years, received his Associates Degree from Germanna Community College. He recently had a very big medical emergency. I want to tell you about his road leading us to this point. Brian had a stroke almost 5 years ago this year, during the height of Covid. He was taken to Mary Washington Hospital here in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he received amazing care. So much so, that after a brief stay at Encompass rehab facility and some home care he was able to return to full-time work in just 4 months. I was so proud of him and how hard he worked. It wasn’t without its side effects. He had a bit of a hitch in his walking gait, his arm was weaker but functioning with some stiffness, and he had this cough that just would not go away. After seeing his medical providers, they helped with the symptoms. He's fought so hard through all these trials. I tell you this because the events on January 26th, 2025, changed everything in our lives.

That Sunday was like any other Sunday, we spent time running errands, dinner, etc. Then Brian went to walk our dog. Germannakin Skywalker, (Manna for short, named after Germanna Community college we both attended and his love of all things Star Wars) is Brian’s absolute baby, he loves her more than anything. When he returned from walking Manna, he went to bed as he worked the next morning early for his employer Restaurant Equipment Repair in Richmond, VA. He woke up with a coughing fit, at first, we thought it was just the reflux he’d been diagnosed with, but as his breathing got worse and he got weaker I rushed him to the Mary Washington Emergency room, a tiny 8 minutes from my house. On the way, he became unresponsive. When I arrived outside the ER, honking my car horn like a mad woman, they rushed to help him. Parts of that moment are a blur, but the one thing that burned into my brain is turning to see the nurse up on the gurney doing chest compressions for CPR. I roll those few minutes around in my head daily now, questioning every tiny decision, despite being told I did the right thing. It doesn’t matter when it’s someone you love, you feel guilt and fear, and the number of what-ifs you put yourself through is amazing. They were able to get his heart started again, but we’re now just over a week later and the damage is apparent.

He suffered a heart attack, aspiration pneumonia, and his kidneys aren’t functioning properly. He will respond to pain stimulus but, he will never be the same, he won’t be able to have meaningful communication, or read his books, or pet Manna. Or the many things he enjoyed in life. Multiple MRIs, and tests show increased damage. Brian will never be my Brian again, there is too much brain damage.

This all happened in a blink, unfortunately it left us without his source of income. I’d love to say we had the forward thinking to set things up in place for this situation, but we didn’t. Who thinks something like this is going to happen to someone who is 52 years old? So, I’m here asking for help, which is hard for me. There is rent, utilities, insurance, and medical bills that I just simply can’t do right now. I’ve been able to take some unpaid leave from my job, but with no income at all even small things like food are an issue right now.

I’m reaching out to our friends, loved ones, church, and community to humbly as for your help through this difficult time. Thank you for reading, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

-Kim Morris