Help Support Kyle Browne and His Family

Our coworker and friend, Kyle Browne, is facing an incredibly difficult and unexpected medical crisis, and we are asking our community to come together to support him and his family.

Kyle was recently rushed to the hospital after experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath. What doctors discovered was far more serious than anyone could have imagined. His previously replaced aortic valve had completely failed, causing severe blood leakage back into his heart. Testing also revealed a large aneurysm/pseudoaneurysm involving his previous aortic graft, another aneurysm lower in his aorta, and significant strain and damage to his heart and lungs.

Kyle was life flighted to Cleveland Clinic, where he is receiving care from a highly specialized cardiovascular team.

On Wednesday, August 12, Kyle underwent an extraordinarily complex, life-saving open-heart surgery. The surgeons replaced his ascending aorta, aortic root, and aortic valve, repaired additional structures around his heart, and reattached his coronary arteries to the new aorta. Because of the complexity of the operation and the condition of his heart and blood vessels, the surgery required extensive support from a heart-lung machine.

The surgery was only the beginning of the fight.

Kyle remains critically ill in the ICU. He experienced significant bleeding and required multiple blood and plasma transfusions. His heart and lungs have needed substantial mechanical support, and his medical team has continued performing urgent procedures to give him the best possible chance to recover.

There are still many unknowns, and his road to recovery will be long. His family has been told to prepare for an extended ICU stay, potentially weeks in the hospital, followed by a lengthy recovery at home.

Through all of this, Kyle has continued to think about everyone else. Even while facing an unimaginable situation, he has asked his family to let people know how grateful he is for every message, prayer, and word of encouragement—and not to take it personally if he can't respond.

Now it's our turn to take care of Kyle.

The financial burden of a medical crisis like this can be overwhelming. Between an extended hospitalization, travel to Cleveland, time away from work, ongoing medical expenses, and the long recovery ahead, Kyle and his family will have many expenses to navigate in the coming weeks and months.

Any contribution, no matter the amount, will help ease some of that burden and allow Kyle and his family to focus on what matters most: his recovery.

If you're unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser and keeping Kyle, his family, and his medical team in your thoughts and prayers means just as much.

Kyle has a long road ahead, but he has an incredible team fighting alongside him—and an entire community behind him.

Please consider donating, sharing, and keeping Kyle in your prayers. ❤️