On Sunday, June 8th, Melany Melendez, just 25 years old, suffered a stroke caused by a clot in her brain. She was rushed to the hospital and later airlifted to Essentia Health in Fargo, North Dakota, where she remains in a medically induced coma as of June 10th. Melany is a loving mother to her 11-month-old daughter, Ember, and this unexpected medical emergency has placed an immense emotional and financial burden on her family. We are raising funds to help cover the mounting medical expenses, travel costs, and support for her family during this incredibly difficult time. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference and is deeply appreciated.

Latest Update (June 26):

A quick update on Melany—she’s still making amazing progress! Every time we talk, her speech is clearer, and her determination shines through more and more.

Next week, she’ll be heading to Craig Hospital in Colorado to begin her rehabilitation journey. While she’s definitely missing home, she’s also feeling really positive about going to such a top-notch rehab center. Craig is known for doing incredible work, and I know she’s in great hands. Her length of stay at Craig is unknown at this time.

June 13th Evening Update:

Today was another day filled with great progress for Melany. She worked with her therapy team, ate mashed potatoes and applesauce (with assistance), and asked for music then softly sang along. She read simple words, navigated her phone with help, and dictated messages to friends.

Most importantly, her daughter visited. Melany cradled her, rubbed her hair, and comforted her while she drank her bottle. We will never forget that moment.

We couldn’t ask for better progress thus far. She is fighting so hard! Please continue to keep Melany in your thoughts and prayers.

June 12th Evening Update:

Melany continues to show beautiful moments of awareness and connection. She spoke several times including saying hello to me, calling out for her dad/mom/husband, and even said my name. Despite no formal speech therapy yet, she's clearly trying. Yesterday, she smiled and smirked at stories about her daughter, even waving before her dad finished telling a story about Ember doing the same. She’s sleeping a lot, but the team added an EEG with video monitoring to gather more data. No major medical changes, just lots of meaningful moments reminding us that she’s still very much her.

Morning of June 11th Update:

Melany continues to show signs of progress in her recovery. Today, her care team successfully removed her breathing tube, and she has begun responding to voice and light physical prompts. While she is not yet speaking, her ability to react is a promising sign. A feeding tube was placed to ensure she receives proper nutrition while her body continues to heal. Therapists will begin speech and swallow therapy soon. We remain hopeful and grateful for every small step forward.