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Support Mark's Recovery After Two Strokes

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Hi everyone, my name is Laura. My sister Kristen and I felt it was time to step in and help out an incredible and caring family that is always doing things for others. It’s our time to rally the troops for them during this difficult time.

On February 1, 2024, our brother-in-law Mark Fafalla left work not feeling well. He drove himself to urgent care where he was immediately transported via ambulance to UMass Memorial hospital where they determined he had a stroke. Mark was left very weak on his left side, had trouble swallowing, and he could not feel temperature whatsoever.

Mark was out of work for a little over 4 months as he went through physical therapy to regain his strength. While he wasn’t back to normal, he knew he had to return to work to support his family. The doctors told him this was a “one and done” stroke. We hate to say, that was not the case. On July 23, 2024, Mark woke our sister Kate up in the early morning hours because he wasn’t feeling right. When he tried to get up, he could not move his right arm or leg and his vision was distorted, so they called an ambulance. At the hospital, the MRI results showed Mark experienced yet again another stroke, just months after his first one. This time the symptoms are worse, Mark was left with stroke paralysis on his right side and swallowing is nearly impossible, this is known as dysphagia. After consulting with doctors and the neurology team, Mark was transported to inpatient rehabilitation Saturday night to start his recovery and it is unknown how long that will be.

For anyone who does not know Mark, he is an amazing and caring father, husband, son, brother, son-in-law, brother-in-law, friend, and cousin. He is a sports junkie, a diehard fan of the Carolina Hurricanes, the New York Giants, the Boston Red Sox, and a season ticket holder for the Worcester Bravehearts. Mark truly enjoys spending time with his family (especially at Christmas) and he loves cheering on his 3 kids, Luke, Brooke, and Brandon (better known as Waffles) at Auburn baseball/little league and softball games, he’s definitely a proud dad. These back-to-back strokes will have a significant impact on his life both physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.

At this time, the future is unknown for Mark, but for friends and family, it is our time to shine. Any contribution, large or small, would be greatly appreciated to support their family while Mark is out of work and begins to navigate down the road to recovery. Thank you in advance for your support!
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    Organizer and beneficiary

    Laura Blascak
    Organizer
    Westfield, MA
    Katie Fafalla
    Beneficiary

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