On Wednesday, Mar 25, one of my best friends, Charissa, received a call no parent should ever have to face. Her middle son, Cole, was involved in a devastating house fire and had to be airlifted to the Johns Hopkins Burn Center.
That morning, Cole woke to the fire and, along with his girlfriend, escaped by jumping out of a window. While we are incredibly grateful that they made it out alive, Cole suffered serious injuries. He has already undergone one surgery, with at least one more ahead, and has been intubated and sedated for nearly two weeks. His journey is far from over. His medical team anticipates a lengthy recovery, including 2–3 months of rehabilitation once he leaves the ICU. Thankfully, his girlfriend’s injuries were not life-threatening, and she has since been discharged. (A separate GoFundMe has been created to support her household as they recover.)
Since that day, Charissa has traveled between her home and Baltimore almost every day, about 2 hours each way, depending on traffic. Her oldest son flew in for a few days this week for support. Her daughter, her youngest, remains at home, continuing school and helping care for their 2 dogs and cat, with the support of family and friends.
Charissa has now exhausted her PTO and is in the process of applying for FMLA. Once approved, it will be unpaid, yet the financial responsibilities of daily life continue, even in the face of such unimaginable hardship.
Every day since he was admitted, everyone who loves them has been anxiously waiting for an update. Cole is only 19 years old, and his body is fighting every day to get better. Right now, we wait, hope, and pray for his healing.
We are asking for your support to help ease the financial burden on Charissa and her family during this incredibly difficult time. All funds raised will go directly to Charissa to help cover living expenses and support Cole’s recovery.
Any donation, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated. If you’re unable to give, please consider sharing this page to help spread the word.
Thank you for keeping Cole and his family in your thoughts and prayers, and for helping surround them with love and support as they face the long road ahead.
