
Walker's Medical Funds
Donation protected
Hi everyone. My name’s Walker Vonk, and I’m a 22 year old college student.
On June 2nd, 2020, I suffered a grand mal seizure and was rushed to the intensive care unit. I was hospitalized for 11 days. I lost 4 years of my long term memory and all of my short-term memory-making capability. While in the hospital, I couldn’t remember where I was or how I got there. It was, and continues to be, the scariest experience of my entire life.

Doctors diagnosed me with “limbic encephalitis,” an autoimmune condition that results in severe inflammation of the hippocampus (memory) region of the brain. They still don’t know what the exact cause was. It could have been viral or bacterial - doctors even originally speculated that it could have even been a rare side effect of COVID-19, but nothing conclusive was ever determined.
My recovery has been slow and painful. My memory is only coming back in bits and pieces, and I still struggle to remember what I’ve done earlier in the day or the day before. I can’t legally drive, I’m easily disoriented, and have been suffering “focal seizures” (smaller seizures similar to intense migraines) that incapacitate me multiple times a week. Doctors don’t expect me to make a full recovery for at least 12 more months, and they say it could easily take much longer.
As I write this, I'm currently being held at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL for follow-up brain scans to better diagnose my condition. In total I’ve spent 16 days (and counting) at the hospital, 4 of which have been in the ICU. As you can guess, this has caused me to take on an overwhelming amount of medical debt. I currently have over $35,000 in medical debt (after insurance), and by the end of this hospital visit, it will likely be closer to $40,000. This is not something that I, as a 22-year-old college student with student loan debt, can hope to overcome on my own.
It’s been almost 6 months since my initial hospitalization, and I still struggle to recall even basic aspects of my everyday life. I’ve had to drop out of college, move back to my hometown to live with my Dad, and have spent several months out of work while recovering. Despite my health and memory problems (and lack of a driver’s license due to my seizures), I recently acquired a part-time, near-minimum-wage job at a local veterinary office. I’m working hard to get back on track, but I could really use your additional help and support.
All money raised from this GoFundMe will go directly towards my medical bills. I am extremely grateful for any and all help you can offer during this period in my life. I am hopeful that with enough time, hard work, and support, my memory can and will recover.
Please help me get the word out by sharing this link to whatever social media platform you may be on! It truly would mean so much to me! If you would like to donate directly to me, my Venmo is @Walker-Vonk and my Cashapp is $wvonk19.
Thank you!
Below are a couple more photos of me since the accident (fair warning, some are a bit graphic):



On June 2nd, 2020, I suffered a grand mal seizure and was rushed to the intensive care unit. I was hospitalized for 11 days. I lost 4 years of my long term memory and all of my short-term memory-making capability. While in the hospital, I couldn’t remember where I was or how I got there. It was, and continues to be, the scariest experience of my entire life.

Doctors diagnosed me with “limbic encephalitis,” an autoimmune condition that results in severe inflammation of the hippocampus (memory) region of the brain. They still don’t know what the exact cause was. It could have been viral or bacterial - doctors even originally speculated that it could have even been a rare side effect of COVID-19, but nothing conclusive was ever determined.
My recovery has been slow and painful. My memory is only coming back in bits and pieces, and I still struggle to remember what I’ve done earlier in the day or the day before. I can’t legally drive, I’m easily disoriented, and have been suffering “focal seizures” (smaller seizures similar to intense migraines) that incapacitate me multiple times a week. Doctors don’t expect me to make a full recovery for at least 12 more months, and they say it could easily take much longer.
As I write this, I'm currently being held at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL for follow-up brain scans to better diagnose my condition. In total I’ve spent 16 days (and counting) at the hospital, 4 of which have been in the ICU. As you can guess, this has caused me to take on an overwhelming amount of medical debt. I currently have over $35,000 in medical debt (after insurance), and by the end of this hospital visit, it will likely be closer to $40,000. This is not something that I, as a 22-year-old college student with student loan debt, can hope to overcome on my own.
It’s been almost 6 months since my initial hospitalization, and I still struggle to recall even basic aspects of my everyday life. I’ve had to drop out of college, move back to my hometown to live with my Dad, and have spent several months out of work while recovering. Despite my health and memory problems (and lack of a driver’s license due to my seizures), I recently acquired a part-time, near-minimum-wage job at a local veterinary office. I’m working hard to get back on track, but I could really use your additional help and support.
All money raised from this GoFundMe will go directly towards my medical bills. I am extremely grateful for any and all help you can offer during this period in my life. I am hopeful that with enough time, hard work, and support, my memory can and will recover.
Please help me get the word out by sharing this link to whatever social media platform you may be on! It truly would mean so much to me! If you would like to donate directly to me, my Venmo is @Walker-Vonk and my Cashapp is $wvonk19.
Thank you!
Below are a couple more photos of me since the accident (fair warning, some are a bit graphic):



Organizer
Walker Vonk
Organizer
Kingsland, GA