I am writing this on behalf of my colleague, Christopher Rondina. At the end of January, Chris was admitted to the hospital with a tight chest and shortness of breath. Despite months of being unable to breathe fully and having to sleep upright, Chris had avoided going to a doctor because in these difficult economic times he could not afford medical insurance. In desperation, he finally went to a walk-in clinic, which immediately sent him to the hospital emergency room. He was admitted for a four day stay and diagnosed with “congenital heart failure“. The doctors told him his damaged heart would never regain its full function, but with blood pressure medication’s and careful, dietary and lifestyle changes he has a chance to keep it from further decline, potentially living a full life for many years to come.

Unfortunately , his stay in the hospital, ongoing tests, follow up visits, and costly medication‘s have already mounted to tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, an insurmountable burden for a single person without insurance, savings, or living family. Christopher works as an educator in Mystic, Connecticut, where he loves to bring history and storytelling alive for kids of all ages. He is also the author of several books on the topic of folklore and legends, and hopes to publish many more. At 59, he says “life is definitely a learning experience , some say 50 is over the hill, I just choose a higher, steeper one“. As he approaches 60, my wish for him is not to survive, but thrive.

As Christopher navigates these challenges, we are reaching out to the community, hoping to ease at least a portion of the financial burden he faces. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference and will be received with deep gratitude.