Hello everyone reading this.. I don't really know where to start so here it goes.. My dad, Robert Sheppard, spent the last few weeks helping everyone around our small town with the ice and plowing the snow that he put himself last as usual and had to deal with getting his firewood in a pinch in this nasty mess. While making an attempt to get firewood for his wood stove he unfortunately fell on the ice. He heard & felt his bones crack and knew he had to head to the hospital. He was told he had a few broken ribs and follow up with his doctor... He was released and we assumed he would rest and heal..

That same night, he was struggling more and more trying to breathe and his face began swelling up so much he looked unrecognizable. He was taken back to the hospital, only to find out his broken ribs had collapsed his lungs. He had to be intubated for the respiratory failure and a chest tube for the collapsed lungs.

He was placed in a medical coma and sent to Cooper University.. My dad has 6 broken ribs that were responsible for the collapsed lungs that nearly killed him that night. Luckily he was in great hands at Cooper & we can't thank them enough for keeping my dad going. He made some progress after a few days and has since been released.

My dad can hardly breathe still. It takes all he has just to talk to us for short periods at a time. He can barely move any part of his body, let alone walk or get out of a chair, go to the bathroom etc. He's in a ridiculous amount of pain and there's nothing calming it down.

My dad is a great handyman and has always found a way to make ends meet. But right now he can't do any of the work he normally would. He doesn't have workman's comp or any sort of disability to fall back on right now.

In order to keep him trending in the right direction, he has to stay home and rest as much as possible for the next 12 weeks.. he can't do anything even if he wanted to.

If you know my dad, he doesn't sit still, he's always working on something, always talking to one of us 5 kids, always on the move.. Right now he has a different reality and I'm just so thankful he is even around to be typing this.

I'm asking for anyone that can and would like to help during this time, to help in whatever way you can. I appreciate you just taking the time to read this. Please keep us all in your prayers as we navigate this very trying time. Thank you.