Support Our Godson Devin's Stroke Recovery

HI! We're Ken and Wendy Dawson and this is our godson, Devin Ferguson, who became part of our lives over 35 years ago when he was twelve and was one of the first students my husband taught at Hatch Middle School in Camden, NJ. Devin soon became part of our lives, living on and off with us and our children, as his father was not around, his mom was dealing with a drug addiction, and his great-grandmother was often not able to care for him. Devin is a fantastic person, overcoming great odds and choosing at an early age to never drink, take drugs or get involved with gangs. I remember seeing him when my husband first brought him to our door and thinking, this boy needs a lot of care and direction, in addition to new clothes and a haircut! We did our best to help him, taking him on trips, to church, and then into our home. He did well for himself and finished school, and took up music and video production, while also operating as a Lyft driver. And though he is grown and been on his own now for over twenty years, Devin is a part of our family and what happens to him affects us greatly.

On October 22, 2024, Devin suffered a devastating hemorrhagic stoke, almost six years after his first stroke. Some of you may recall him from the GoFundMe I put out then, when he was in need of funds, and the response was so amazing. This time his stroke was far worse than the first time, and he has been left completely paralyzed on his left side. He was on a ventilator and feeding tube for months and even went into cardiac arrest on December 1st, for fifteen minutes, before they were able to bring him back. He is now breathing on his own, eating solid foods and speaking, which is absolutely fantastic! And he still has his sense of humor! The hospital says that he is now ready for discharge and this is where our problem lies. Devin is still bound to a hospital bed and needs round the clock personal assistance and care, and up to now, we have found no place that would take him.

Devin moved to Georgia in 2020, and initially stayed with his uncle, who unfortunately died of Covid in early 2021. Devin has mostly worked in the tire industry and prior to his stroke, for Instacart. He has no resources of his own to support his next step towards recovery. His Marketplace insurance company has denied him care in the one facility in Georgia that accepted him for rehabilitation, because it was out of network. We are currently waiting to get approval for Medicaid Disability and SSDI, which we have been told would get him admission into a long-term care nursing home. We have finally found him a specialized personal care home, licensed by the state of Georgia, which will take him and provide the ongoing care that he daily needs. Unfortunately, as of now, he has no ability to pay for the $3300 a month his care will cost. His son Tawann, who just turned 24 and flew out from his home in Las Vegas to be with him, is also unable to provide for this enormous cost, as are we. We anticipate this care will need to be provided for only a few months, as his Medicaid application is pending approval, awaiting final review. So, I am once again reaching out to see if, through the generosity of many, we might be able to help a son whom God sent to us, and whom we desire to see restored back to health. We now live in South Carolina, and just a week before his stroke he was up here visiting with us. We had a great time and he has such a spirit of love for God and for us. I do not want to let him down in his time of need. Whatever you can do to help, will be greatly appreciated, and I will keep everyone updated on his progress. Please share his story, if you can. Thank you so much!