Our family is facing an overwhelming crisis. My husband, Tim, a devoted father to one child and our primary provider, was involved in a catastrophic car accident on his way to work last week. He has been in the ICU in a minimally conscious state since, and was recently diagnosed with extensive diffuse axonal injury via MRI. Diffuse axonal injury is the most severe form of traumatic brain injury, where brain tissue shifts and nerve fibers (axons) are sheared across widespread areas of the brain, and is akin to shaken baby syndrome. He also has a fractured vertebra in his neck.

There is no cure for diffuse axonal injury. Damaged axons cannot regenerate; the hope for recovery lies in the brain’s neuroplasticity—the ability to create new pathways—through intensive, long-term rehabilitation.

The recovery process can be long and arduous, taking 1 to 2+ years of physical, occupational, speech, and cognitive therapies. It can result in a persistent vegetative state in the worst-case scenario, or severe cognitive, physical, and emotional challenges, including memory loss and loss of motor function. Though Tim will unfortunately never fully recover to 100% of who he was before his injury, we’re hopeful his “new baseline” is as close to it as possible.

We are raising money to cover household bills, medical expenses, and future needs while he fights for his recovery. Any contribution will directly help us stay on our feet during this crisis and would be deeply appreciated.