Tony's Fight: Medical Bills and Travel Aid

Hello Everyone,

We are wanting to start a GoFundMe account along with an account at Gate City Bank in Carrington, ND (which we will update when that is set up) to help out with medical bills and travel expenses to Minneapolis, to Harvey and Carrington for therapy, office visits to see his regular physician. His business he owns is trying to stay afloat with the help of Loren Larson and his son Dawson (he can’t thank these two enough as Loren truly has been the rock for him) as he has been unable to work for quite some time and these surgeries keep delaying his recovery and time to return to work.

Tony has been through a lot since he was young. He has battled through intestine and stomach issues since birth, with lots of abdominal surgeries and hospital stays due to these issues alone over the years, but that is not the only thing that he has dealt with.

At the young age of 30 years old, Tony had to have both hips replaced, and when they did that, he had walked with a limp from 30 years old until today. In the last few years, he has had to undergo two major back surgeries. The first one was fixed with cadaver parts being put in his back along with a lot of hardware on December 19th, 2022. After that, he was suffering from many different things along with pneumonia, infection, dizziness, uncontrollable pain, feeling of passing out due to blood pressure, feeling unstable, hard to move his right leg at times, and he would fall down at times. Dr. Rick Grier did find the issue; it was being caused from his previous back surgery and his hips. He was able to get him into the Dr’s in Minneapolis. From there, the Dr’s said that the Dr. in Bismarck who performed his first back surgery was a failed surgery. They had to go back in and repair it, which took over 8 hours in the operating room in January 2024, where they cut him open in the back and in the front (abdomen). Very invasive surgery with long recovery. He continued to have problems and was on the road back to Minneapolis in Nov 2024, where they said the right hip needed to be replaced, which they were able to see that the first one put in had the wrong size ball and other parts. His right leg was a 1/4 of an inch shorter, so they replaced the ball and the part to lengthen the leg. He hadn’t worked since with so much pain and being unstable. He just went back January 2025 for his post checkup from hip surgery. He found out not so good news once again.

The reason for the recent extensive pain and reversal is the prosthesis is infected. If he takes pills to try and get rid of it, it will just cover it up and help with pain, but the bacteria won’t leave. So unfortunately, he has to have the hip revision redone. The part they just did and the stem that they had left. They have to literally cut the bone open like a book. So a total revision. If he waits, he could end up with sepsis, which is very bad. Soonest rush is Feb 5th, 2025. They have him on emergency list, so if they get a cancellation, he can get in Jan if there’s a cancellation. He has to have an infectious disease team with him, and after surgery, he will have to have an IV in for 6 weeks for IV antibiotics. Then oral after that plus a bunch of other meds. They have to be careful with him as he has broken pieces in his neck (due to something that fell on him at work a year plus ago) along with his fused back.

I’m asking along with his wife and children and our entire Clifton family for any help at all; it would be very much appreciated!!! Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Anyone who knows Tony knows he can’t sit still, and this is taking a toll on him, especially not being able to work, lift, or bend at all.

Thank You from His Wife Gina, children Cassidy, Dawson, and his entire Clifton Family