Jesse Chalmers has been my friend since high school—we’ve known each other for 40 years. Jesse is a single dad to his 14-year-old son and co-parent of his two daughters.

On Friday, March 13th, Jesse went to the emergency room after choking on a medication capsule. Once he arrived, doctors realized the severity of his situation and he was taken by ambulance to North Memorial in Robinsdale, MN for treatment. After an endoscopy, they discovered the capsule had entered his lung, causing a chemical burn. Because of the damage, Jesse needed to be monitored in the ICU until he could breathe without the assistance of oxygen.

After 9 days in the ICU, Jesse was moved to a regular hospital room for recovery. One of the major concerns was the risk of infection, which could have been life-threatening. Fortunately, after 9 days of recovery in the hospital and another 2 weeks at home, Jesse is infection-free. Jesse suffered from chronic asthma prior to this incident, making his recovery even more challenging. He will continue to face long-term effects as a result.

The funds raised will help pay for medical bills not covered by insurance and for lost wages from the past month. Jesse will need ongoing support as he continues to recover. Any support you can give means the world to Jesse and our family. Your kindness will help Jesse focus on healing and ease the burden of medical expenses during this difficult time.