Support Sadie’s Fight: A 19-Year-Old’s Long Road to Recovery
The Day Everything Changed
On July 2, 2025, my daughter Sadie McDonald’s life was fractured in an instant. While crossing a street in Downtown Hoboken, Sadie—a 19-year-old engineering student at Stevens Institute of Technology—was struck by a car. She was rushed into emergency surgery for a severe head laceration and a shattered clavicle, where a steel plate was inserted to hold her shoulder together.
But for Sadie, this wasn't just an accident; it was a devastating setback in a life already defined by a relentless struggle for health.
A Body at War With Itself
Before the accident, Sadie had already survived more than most do in a lifetime. During her senior year of high school, she became gravely ill, unable to eat and frequently fainting. After a harrowing string of ER visits, she was diagnosed with SMAS (Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome)—a rare condition that closed her small intestine.
Though a feeding tube allowed her to graduate, we soon discovered the root cause: EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) and POTS. EDS is a genetic connective tissue disorder that affects every part of her body, most cruelly her ability to heal.
The Relentless Cycle of Surgery
Sadie is a fighter, but EDS has made her recovery a nightmare:
- October 2025: Her shoulder failed to mend, and the internal steel plate snapped. She underwent a second surgery to replace it, forcing her to withdraw from the college dreams she worked so hard to keep.
- December 2025: Days before Christmas, the hardware failed again, protruding through her skin.
- Christmas Eve: Sadie was rushed by ambulance to the ER as her incision ruptured and began bleeding profusely. This led to a severe infection and a third major surgery.
Why We Need Your Help
Sadie is currently trapped in a slow, painful recovery. Because of her genetic condition, she cannot work or attend school regularly. While she is applying for assistance, the process is agonizingly slow.
Our family has exhausted every resource. I am currently managing my own Parkinson’s diagnosis from out of state, leaving Sadie to navigate this crisis largely on her own in the NYC area, where she must remain to stay close to the specialized team—surgeons, cardiologists, and pain specialists—who understand her fragile condition.
Your donations will go directly toward:
- Medical Expenses: Copays for specialists and life-saving medications.
- Living Costs: Rent and utilities for her modest apartment so she isn't displaced while unable to work.
- Mental Health Support: Specialized therapy for the PTSD and depression following this series of traumas.
- Care for Daffodil: Her emotional support animal, who has been her only constant companion through this darkness.
Sadie doesn't want a handout; she wants her life back. She wants to be the strong, productive engineer she was meant to be. Every dollar, every share, and every prayer brings her one step closer to a day without pain.
Please help us give Sadie a chance to heal.
Organizer
