Molly Doroba

On Wednesday morning, I woke up to a text I never thought I would receive. My best friend in the whole world sent, “I’m in the ER. I just had a stroke.” She’s only 32 and otherwise healthy, how on earth could this happen?! A nightmare of realizations started unraveling in the next 24 hours as I received texts from Molly, like, “it was actually a huge basal ganglia stroke” and “MRI showed golf ball-sized brain damage” and “neurologist said I’m lucky to be alive and my body should be completely annihilated.” My gorgeous, brilliant best friend should be finalizing plans for her wedding IN THREE WEEKS, not making urgent appointments with rheumatologists and neurologists. Our world changed overnight. Miraculously, Molly survived the stroke with, realistically, minor side effects, considering how big the event was. Thankfully, Molly’s wonderful fiancé Ethan is a brilliant ER nurse and knew exactly what to do to get her the best care possible. He hasn’t left her side for a moment as she’s struggled with all the tests, side effects, and terrifying unknowns of the stroke. Both Molly & Ethan are taking FMLA for as long as it takes to help her feel healthy and start therapy to regain her balance and mobility and learn to process information in a new way. After almost a decade working as a NICU nurse, Molly will also have to find a new job that better suits her new mobility and motor skills. Between the terrifying ER visit, MRIs and CT scans, countless doctor’s appointments, dozens of autoimmune blood tests, and missing work for weeks to come, the financial stressors are immense. On top of all of this, Molly & Ethan just bought a beautiful home in Denver and are planning their wedding this June—all hugely exciting steps for a young couple, but now they’re suddenly shadowed with new stress about how to pay for everything. Molly Pearson is the best person I have ever met. Since we met in 7th grade, she’s been my main girl for everything! She knows how to calm me down when I’m spiraling, makes me laugh so hard I pee my pants, amazes me every day as she saves lives in the NICU as a brilliant nurse, and never stops trying to make the world around her better. She deserves the wedding of her dreams and a happy, healthy life as she strives to make a full recovery from this horrible chapter. I know it’s so much to ask, but if you have the means to donate anything to help relieve the medical bills & FMLA stress from Molly & Ethan, we would be so eternally grateful. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. It truly couldn’t go to a more deserving person.