
Support the Kirk Family
Joe Kirk was an active, healthy, vibrant, loving husband and father. A tradesman, he routinely hung 2,000 pounds of drywall a day, if he wasn't working you could find him with his family, in the woods, or by the water. On July 11, 2020, he felt dizzy getting into bed and developed a fever. Within 48 hours, he could barely walk. After 27 days of symptoms, four primary care visits, one visit to urgent care, and four visits to the ER, he was finally admitted and given a probable diagnosis is Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that has a long recovery. As the sole provider for his wife and four school aged kids, one of whom is medically fragile, who now needs round the clock care, his illness has really put a strain on his family.
Typically with Guillain-Barré syndrome, the symptoms get worse before they get better. We are unsure of how long recovery will take and whether or not he will be able to return back to work after he is recovered due to lasting effects this syndrome can have.