Support Colleen Ahlers' Stroke Recovery Journey

Hello, loved ones of Colleen and Bob Ahlers!

As many of you may or may not know, on May 18th, 2024, Colleen Ahlers suffered from a massive life-altering stroke. After waking up with a terrible headache and debilitating nausea, which only worsened as the day went on, her aunt found her on the ground at home after Colleen’s husband Bob frantically enlisted her aunt’s help due to his inability to reach Colleen.

She was rushed to Methodist Hospital where they found the severity of her prognosis to be too much for them to undertake, so they needed to airlift her to the University of Chicago for better care. Here she had to undergo multiple procedures and tests where they were eventually able to get her stable. This particular type of stroke generally has a low survival rate, but if any of you know Colleen you know how much of a fighter she is. So, despite the odds, she managed to pull through. However, the damage done is severe and we still don’t know the whole extent of it all.

After undergoing multiple procedures, she had to endure physical therapy to relearn basic functions that we often take for granted, but with the help of her loving husband and mother who have both been by her side this whole time, and the help of friends and family- and above all else, with her own strength and determination she continues to make great progress every day. However, she is most definitely not out of the woods yet as this will be a long, slow process full of uncertainty, struggle, and frustration. Though she is showing mind-blowing progress considering the damage done, she still has many tests in her future as well as rehab, which will have her out of work for the foreseeable future. This means that Bob and Colleen’s normal two-income home to take care of themselves and their beloved pets will now be down to one income and many astronomical medical bills. And though we will forever appreciate all those in the medical field who helped save this amazing woman’s life at all costs, that still leaves a rather difficult financial burden on a couple who is physically trying to survive as it is with all that has taken place.

That is why we created this GoFundme in Colleen’s honor, in hopes that we can raise some money for this couple who are not only wonderful people, but loving friends and family to many of us. For a woman who has dedicated a large part of her life working in the medical field and helping others in need. If we can somehow help alleviate some of the financial struggles they face while they struggle to fight for survival, to get Colleen back to a much healthier state, it would be so incredibly appreciated. Let’s all come together and help to alleviate one huge stress while this couple face many other challenges yet to come.

Imagine yourself in this situation… One day you’re fine – going about life like normal and the next thing you know you’ve lost all ability to function. How scary and frustrating it must be to know you were once able to do something you can no longer currently do. To live with the uncertainty of what’s to come. To wake up and constantly have to fight to just to do basic everyday tasks. How exhausting that must be. And to have to depend on your loved ones for everything you could once normally do with ease. How hard it must be for your loved ones to see you go through this without being able to fix the problem, to have to balance normal day-to-day life necessities while trying to help a person you love continue to push forward.

So, I ask you dear friends, if you can please help our loved ones Colleen and Bob through this difficult time, it would be so incredibly appreciated. No amount is too small, everything and anything helps and is greatly appreciated!! Please feel free to share this as well. Thank you for your time and help!

Wishing you all the best,

Team Colleen

Written by: Kelly Adams