Support for Shelley After Mike’s Passing
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$9,570 raised of
67 donations
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sudden passing of Mike Kelly, beloved
husband of Shelley and dad to their rescue bulldog Moose. Mike was on kidney dialysis
for the last four years and had survived quintuple bypass surgery just a few years ago,
all through Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. His positive attitude and proactive
stance toward his illness landed him on DHMC’s transplant program, which is one of the
top in the country and extremely hard to qualify for.
He suffered a catastrophic, irreversible, and incurable brain bleed on Tuesday, July 28;
one which, according to his doctors, killed him instantly before he even landed to the
floor where his beloved wife, Shelley, found him.
Despite heroic efforts by the team at Dartmouth, there was nothing they could do and
Shelley honored Mike’s wishes to be an organ donor. And today, two days after his
passing, his liver saved the life of a local man in his 50s.
This campaign is to raise funds for Mike’s services as well as to help Shelley navigate a
life without her soulmate of 27 years. Their 27 th wedding anniversary would have been
on August 14 and Mike just turned 70 years old on July 9, fewer than three weeks
before his tragic passing. They sadly had no children, and Shelley is an only child
whose parents have passed. Shelley now lives alone with their bulldog, Moose and any
remaining family live on the West Coast.
While they have many dear friends far and wide, they have always vowed to never be
burdens to their friends who have their own obligations and challenges.
Shelley broke her left femur, tibia, and fibula several years ago. While she can walk with
a cane or walker, she can only venture about 100 feet before needing to sit down due to
chronic pain. Being out in public requires a wheelchair and scooter for safety. The
campaign will help Shelley add ADA components to her home and car so she can
navigate life safely, as she is still active as a self-employed writer and editor. She needs
a motorized wheelchair, a motorized device that can load her wheelchair into and out of
her vehicle, an electronic device that allows EMTs access to her home in case of
emergency, and an emergency medical alert device, among others. We truly appreciate
your support and thank you from the bottoms of our hearts!