Todd's Fight For Life

Bring it on!!



Todd and Chloe



Todd Fighting for every breath!

Hi, my name is Chris and I am starting a campaign for my cousin Todd Mayeaux.  Todd has been more like a brother to me than a cousin.  Two years ago Todd lost his father, Myron, a marine who suffered from agent orange. Todd lost his mother Gail, to heart disease at the early age of 36 on this day March 9, 32 years ago.  Todd was only 17 years old.  He was raised by our grandparents and my mom.  Todd has always been an inspiration to me and my biggest supporter.  He has always been there for me and now it’s my turn to be there for him.

Todd is now 48 and fighting for his life.  Todd is a great Man, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Family Man and Soldier.  Todd started his military career in the Louisiana Army National Guard and was 11M Mechanized infantry.  After serving in Desert Storm and his 8 year commitment he wanted to make a difference and joined back up in the Arkansas Air National Guard.  He has been deployed to Afghanistan for several tours.  One of the last tours really affected him in a bad way.  He witnessed a RPG fly over his head and hit a US helicopter as it was taking off.  Although he knew no one on the chopper he felt the heat of the explosion, witnessed a horrific scene and has not been the same since.  He suffers from PTSD and has had a challenging time over the past few years.  He has had trouble breathing since these last few deployments but paid no attention to it thinking it was weight gain related.

Todd recently came down with pneumonia and his doctor attempted to treat it with several antibiotics.  These attempts were unsuccessful.  After 3 weeks of antibiotics Todd was having difficulty breathing and blacked out at home and was taken to the hospital.  He was so weak when he passed out he split his head open.  They put 9 staples in his head then started treating the pneumonia. Before we knew it, he was in ICU in critical but stable condition.  This is where we have learned of a chemical in his lungs that "might" be from the burn pits in Afghanistan.  His barracks were close to these pits.  We have no way of knowing for sure until a biopsy can be taken.  He is still too critical and weak to take a biopsy. Learn more here:

IA burn pits

Now comes the bad part.  He has been on a ventilator and struggling to breathe on his own for over two weeks in ICU.  They have found a hole in one lung and is in need of a double lung transplant.  The only option for Todd to live is to be transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN.  The Mayo Clinic has accepted him in the program.  They have a surgical team that has flown down to Fort Smith Arkansas and is now transporting him MN.  They have to hook him to a machine that bypasses the lungs to bring oxygen to the blood.  The only way Mayo would accept him was if 2 family members drop everything today and move with him to Rochester MN, for the next year.  Both family members are to be by his side 24/7 for the next year.  His very supportive wife, Renae, has now packed up and driving north with her mother to tend for Todd for the next year.

Renae has had to quit her job and move immediately.  We are raising funds not only for his medical expenses that are rapidly growing but her living expenses for the next year while taking care of Todd as he fights for every precious breath.   Todd has a precious baby grand daughter that grounds him and gives him hope along with 2 beautiful step-daughters.  Please help me, to help Todd and Renae and give Todd that precious gift of oxygen and LIFE!