Support Sally's Stroke Recovery Journey

I am Nicole and I am raising money for an angel. Her name is Sally and she is my sister-in-law. My brother Dan calls her an angel and honestly, the way Sally loves and supports my brother, their kids, and our family is proof she is a one-of-a-kind angel on earth. Sally experienced a stroke recently. She has always been in good health, active, and conscientious. This brain trauma came out of nowhere and reminds us all how precious and fragile life is.

Thanks to amazing neurosurgeons and the team at USC Keck Hospital, Sally is recovering. But strokes are tricky things, especially when you don't know the cause. Her prognosis is good; with therapy, time, and a lot of rehabilitation, we hope that Sally will regain use of her right side.

Of course, this comes at a high price. My brother Dan and Sally are self-employed. Their family has had financial struggles over the years. Dan suffered a back injury in a bad car accident, not once but twice! Some days you wonder how much more you can take? Dan and Sally are the kind of people who would say, there is a lesson of faith here. There is so much collateral beauty to be found. In their journey together, they have relied on their faith and a positivity that is contagious. So many people have been touched by these amazing people. If you have ever found yourself in their sphere, you know that feeling of love and connection. You know how much they give to everyone of themselves. Sally is the mom who gives time and energy to the school and neighborhood. She is the sister who is always ready to support nieces and nephews in their endeavors. She is the friend who will help organize your party and clean up afterward. To me, she is the sister-in-law that I think of as another sister. When my brother brought her home to meet the family and Sally jumped in to help with that weekend's project of laying out a new lawn, then playing basketball on the driveway, we all knew this was a special lady. She was almost immediately "adopted" into our big family. For me, Sally is a role model who was there to walk me through the job interview process when I was a lost and terrified college graduate not knowing how to start in the world. And she was there for me again when my mother was dying. She came to our house and rolled up her sleeves alongside all us sisters to do some of the most difficult tasks we never thought we would be doing. Her empathy and grace during that time were proof of her angelic nature. At this time, I just had my first child and she was there. As my children grew, she took on a role my mother would have done for them; she made the magic of Christmas cookie decorating. Now it is my turn to help her and be the support and grace she needs at this time. Thank you for jumping in to help where help is needed.