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Help Willie Pay his Room and Board for Hospice!

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Hey everyone. This is difficult to write for a number of reasons, but these are the facts. On July 17th this year, my dad (or Willie as so many know him) went into UH Hospitals in Elyria for an MRI. At the time, we thought that he was in the beginning stages of Lewy Body Dementia and wanted to get an MRI to confirm this. Instead, we discovered that he had a meningioma (a tumor that grows on the outside of the brain) about six inches long across the right side of his forehead.

The surgery was successful in removing the meningioma, and it seemed like he was going to make a full recovery. Unfortunately, after a few days, his condition suddenly worsened. His brain had started to swell severely, and he suffered a stroke on the right side of his brain. The surgery team at the NCU conducted two more surgeries to remove a part of the skull to alleviate the swelling. Miraculously with an unorthodox method, they were able to reduce the swelling but we’re unsure of the damage done.

Since July 25th, my dad has been mostly nonverbal. He has moments where he can open his eyes, respond to basic instructions, and gesture. But for the most part he has been semi-conscious and unable to move from his bed. We had him at a rehabilitation center for about a week. However, his insurance, after evaluating his condition, determined that he was unfit for rehab and has refused to pay for any of those expenses.

We have since moved him to a hospice facility. We are hoping to see more progress, but for now things have remained unchanged. Our insurance is not covering his room and board for hospice, and we are uncertain how long he will be there. The room and board alone costs $275 a day. We are also unsure of how much his medical bills will be, given the number of surgeries, CT scans, and the amount of time spent in the ICU.

So, in light of everything that’s happened, we are asking for anything you can spare in defraying these costs. We would never ask this for almost anyone except my dad. His entire life he has been a kind, compassionate, giving person to everyone he meets. We’ve never heard someone say an unkind word about his character. To so many he has been a kind heart to confide in, a source of strength, a quick wit who brings warmth to any room he enters, and the best dad we could’ve ever asked for. He shared those qualities without reservation, as well as his love of Peanuts, music (everything from Yes to System of a Down), his family, and Christmas.

He spent his entire life teaching and assisting children with emotional disabilities. Despite the trials and long days he endured at that job, he never wavered in providing support, humor, and love to his friends and family. Dad brought out the best in all of us without trying and continues to even now. Whenever you’re around him, you just feel lucky to know him. So, wherever the next steps his journey takes him, we want them to be peaceful and free of worry. Your help will make a scary time feel a little more stable.

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for more information. Thank you so much for your time and attention.

Peace and Love,

 

Willie and the rest of the Wagner Family

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Donations 

  • Andrew Mayer
    • $50 
    • 2 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $200 
    • 2 yrs
  • Nikki Zender-Wietecha
    • $100 
    • 2 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $50 
    • 2 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $50 
    • 2 yrs
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Fundraising team (4)

Samuel Wagner
Organizer
Raised $2,490 from 22 donations
Cleveland, OH
Carol Wagner
Beneficiary
Raised $6,974 from 60 donations
Walter Wagner
Team member
Raised $240 from 4 donations
John Grandetti
Team member
This team raised $7,035 from 54 other donations.

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