To help the Spence Family with medical bills

On October 15, 2021, the Spence family life changed forever. Jerome Spence, Pastor of Mt. Vernon First Baptist Church, teacher at Poplar Road Elementary School and former Alabama State University alumni was hospitalized. It started earlier in the day when his wife texted him a question at work and he did not know what she was talking about. She texted him again and the text came back with words and letters she was unable to understand. Jerome later came home from work complaining of a headache. His wife asked him if the nurse at school had taken his blood pressure because it was elevated the week prior. He was looking at her weird. As soon as he sat down in the recliner he began to throw up. She cleaned him up and went and got the blood pressure machine to check his blood pressure. His BP was 170/102 and pulse rate 111. His wife immediately called EMT. Once they arrived he did not know his name, the month, and could not follow basic commands. They immediately took him to Piedmont Newnan Hospital. By the time his wife arrived at the hospital they had already performed a CT scan of the brain which showed bleeding on the back left side of the brain. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Piedmont Newnan Hospital already had Piedmont Atlanta on the phone and the plane was in route to air lift him downtown Atlanta. As soon as he arrived they began treating him with medications to slow and/or stop the bleeding in order to perform surgery. During this process he suffered a stroke due to high blood pressure which delayed the surgery. On October 30, 2021 they were finally able to perform brain surgery to remove the tumor.

As of today, he is still hospitalized with a PEG (feeding tube) and tracheotomy (breathing tube). He intermittently opens his eyes and can point and squeeze your hand. The plan is to transfer him to a long-term facility as soon as one becomes available; that offers rehabilitation with hopes to wean him off the ventilator.

Pastor Spence has a long road ahead. Please join the family as we pray for a full and complete recovery.

With permission from the family this fundraiser was created to help Tonya and the family to not focus on finances during this horrific time and to assist the family with on-going medical cost and expenses incurred.

Please be mindful that the family is really going through a hard time right now and cannot answer every phone call and/or text. They welcome and appreciate the thoughts, prayers, and donations. They are grateful for the outpouring of love and support.

Thank you and God Bless.