Support Shawn's Journey and Family Trip

Hello friends and family,

We are launching this fundraiser for our younger brother, Shawn Hardman, who has been battling severe health challenges over the past 4 years. We are raising funds to send him and his little family on a trip that will allow them to make bright lasting memories together to help them endure the dark roads ahead. This trip will also provide a much-needed break from the exhausting and emotional journey they have been on.

Shawn is bed bound at this stage in his journey, so they would like to rent a motorhome and travel to some of their favorite places in Southern Utah and Sedona Arizona.

Shawn began struggling with his health in 2020, shortly after the birth of his son Asher. Shawn and his wife, Jovia, were living in Ohio at that time. Our mother went to stay with them after Shawn first got sick, but we quickly decided it would be best if they moved back to Utah while we figured out why his frail body was failing him.

His blood counts were dangerously low, he dropped below 100lbs at 6 foot 3 inches tall, and his body no longer produced white blood cells. After 2 years of tests and high dose steroids he endured a grueling bone marrow transplant from marrow donated by his selfless siter, Tara Weinert. We had high hopes that this would be "his big break". He did very well for a time, and then his body began to show signs of rejection and he developed graft vs. hose disease. Delivering an absolutely devastating blow to our entire family.

Early in 2023 Shawn and Jovia were involved in a serious car accident, where they were rear-ended while driving with their 2-year-old son, Asher. Though they initially felt fine, things took a turn a week later when Shawn’s condition worsened. He was intubated for 11 days due to severe pneumonia, and his health complications—including post-transplant issues, Ulcerative Colitis, and the need for a hip replacement—left him unable to walk, eat, or speak. The doctors were uncertain about his survival, but Shawn defied the odds and made it through.

Afterward, he moved to a regular hospital floor for stabilization, and improvements started when he was admitted to a neuro rehab facility, where he regained some strength and began walking again with assistance. However, just as things seemed to improve, Shawn was readmitted to the hospital for pneumonia and suffered a fall on his anniversary, resulting in fractures to his back and cracked ribs, in addition to ongoing pain from Ulcerative Colitis and avascular necrosis.

Shawn's most significant challenge now is his hip replacement. Multiple surgeries have been canceled due to various complications, and he is now pursuing a different surgeon who has agreed to do the surgery. He had a surgery date scheduled, but then had another cancellation due to an infection in his port through which he is administered IV nutrition. Without the nutrition, he has dropped weight again and just returned from yet another hospital stay.

This fight has been very hard on Shawn and his family. He is feeling that he might not make it in this life. He wrote a heartfelt text to all of his siblings saying, "I don’t think I’ll survive this". It has been one of the hardest things recently with him realizing that his life might end soon. Shawn has come to terms with the possibility of not surviving this battle, and he has been placed on palliative care.

Though this has been an incredibly difficult journey for him and his family Shawn has fought a truly admirable battle and has held his head as high as he has been able through some pretty dark days. We want so deeply for his family to create some beautiful bright memories that they can anchor their hearts to during the storm that is to come. They have been limited to hospital rooms and bedsides for so long and have missed so many of the simple joys that life has to offer.

All proceeds of this fundraiser will be used by Shawn's sibling to facilitate this goal and any remaining funds will be placed in an account for his son Asher.

We appreciate even the smallest donation, or just a share to help spread the word. We love you all!

Mindy, Tara, and Chris.