Supporting Pete and His New Heart

Peter Gatewood came home to his neighborhood in Paoli, PA in mid-October after six months in the hospital, including a heart transplant on July 26th.  And now that Pete is home, he needs our help!

For some of us, Pete is our cousin who lives alone out East, his parents and his only sibling having passed away years ago. For many others living in and around the Greater Philadelphia area, Pete is a dear friend, colleague, and "brother" who lives in Paoli with his dog Leah in a wonderful neighborhood where he makes his home.

Pete--a bright, loving, giving man who has learned to live life with Asperger's Syndrome--was not expecting last April when he "felt weak" and was admitted to the hospital that he was in need of a new heart.  Waiting for a heart transplant during the COVID-19 Pandemic turned into a very long wait and a very long stay in the hospital, recovery, and rehabilitation. And, despite all these challenges, Pete's health care professionals, his supporters, and his undaunted courage prevailed.  

Six months later, Pete's return to his home, friends, and neighbors has been met with the need to have 24 hr/day, in-home care while he is recovering. His medical team are recommending Peter plan for at least two months and perhaps more, depending on how quickly he and his heart find their new rhythm at home. 

Most of Peter's hospital and rehab expenses will be covered, but he lives alone on a restricted budget and will now be adding home care, medical supplies, and necessary equipment to make living manageable.  Things as simple as caring for his dog Leah, which he currently cannot safely provide given Leah's size and strength, will significantly strain the budget he must keep.

Pete, his heart, and his dog need our help! Costs for in-home care and nurse drop-ins will total approximately $11,400 per month. Care for Leah until she can be managed by Pete will be around $1,500 a month. Other required modifications for Pete's home and kitchen will add additional expenses and additional stress on his available resources.

For the past six months, Pete has managed on great care and lots of prayer.  As of Homecoming, October 14, Pete could use more than just our our thoughts, support, and encouragement. Our funds will be managed by Pete's fiduciary representative and will be used to directly pay for out-of-pocket health care items that are not part of Pete's normal living expenses.

For now, we are trying to help by providing Peter with roughly the first 2 months of support through GoFundMe until we all have a clearer sense of what his needs for December and ongoing months will look like.

Thank you for continuing to care for Pete as he builds a strong relationship with his new heart and adapting to his new way of life!