Dan is Emily Robinson's cousin and Mike Sabo's nephew. We have set up a GoFundMe to help Dan with living expenses for four months after undergoing a life-saving open-heart surgery last week.

Dan began experiencing a heart episode and got in with his PCP to check on things. He saw the physician assistant, who cleared him and sent him on his way. Dan wasn't convinced he was OK and pursued an appointment with a cardiologist who discovered during an echocardiogram that Dan had a large aneurysm on his aorta that could burst at any moment and end his life. He was admitted to the hospital and had an 8-hour open-heart surgery where they did an Aortic Valve replacement, Bentall procedure, and reimplantation of the coronary arteries.

Because of the heart condition and Dan's physical manifestations, he has been diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, which always affects the heart, particularly the aorta. Many go undiagnosed and have few symptoms until it's often too late. When the surgeon told Dan that he could not return to work for 4 months, he was distraught. Dan is 38, single, and the only breadwinner for himself. He told his mom, "I can't start all over again...it's too hard to catch up."

Dan also has trigeminal neuralgia, which is a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve in the face. That nerve carries sensation from the face to the brain, and severe facial pain is often triggered by chewing, speaking, or simply brushing the teeth. Dan experienced a horrific episode of this pain 2 years ago and was let go from his previous job with the State of CO because he could not work and had run out of accrued personal time off. He lost his car, his current apartment at the time, and had to find another job which wasn't nearly as good as the job he had lost...thus, his worry and concern when told he couldn't work for 4 months.

Dan doesn't have a large "community," and we want to help him. I know most of you don't know him, but we would greatly appreciate your help in helping him meet his living expenses of $3500/month. Any amount would help. Thanks SO MUCH to those who contribute, and to those who will pray for Dan.