An Update from Shelley Smith:

Hello caring friends of Marc and Cathy!

Today is the 15-month anniversary of Marc’s life-altering car accident. He continues to make encouraging progress in his recovery and healing. Due to his Wernicke’s Aphasia, communication remains his greatest challenge. But with Cathy’s support, he has made remarkable strides in this area as well. He also recently obtained his driver’s license, which has helped him regain some of his independence.

He is still unable to work, however, and Cathy’s part-time job with the school district has been their only source of steady income. Thankfully, their insurance covered most of Marc’s extensive medical bills. But they now find themselves responsible for out-of-pocket medical bills totaling about $25,000. As you can imagine, the loss of income, coupled with these outstanding bills have created a heavy financial burden and a lot of stress.

The driver who hit Marc pled guilty to a charge of DUI with Serious Bodily Injury in the fall, and was sentenced to eight months in jail. He was also ordered to pay about $4,000 in restitution within the next five years.

The grace of God, along with your prayers and support, have carried Marc, Cathy, and their family through these challenging 15 months. Many of you generously donated to the GoFundMe account that was set up shortly after the accident. Thank you! These funds helped cover many expenses, including housing in Denver, medical bills, prescriptions, and speech therapy in Michigan.

In light of their current needs, I have created a new GoFundMe account called “Marc’s Medical Bills.” You can find it in the “Ways to Help” section on this site. Please give to this dear couple as you feel led, and feel free to share the link with others who may also want to contribute.

Together, we can help lighten Marc and Cathy’s burden and alleviate some of their stress. I know they will be so humbled and grateful for your support.

Sincerely,

Shelley Smith