Back in March 2014 as I walked in the door from picking up my sister-in-law at the airport I received a devastating call from a good friend back in the States. She was calling to tell me that my friend’s husband Michael was dying.

Michael had sustained an aortic dissection. According to a medical professional that I spoke to, “Heart attacks are easy. But after an aortic dissection you typically have three minutes to live.”  Luckily for Mike he was at the hospital when his aorta ruptured and one surgeon chose to proceed with surgery. According to the doctors, his insides looked as if he had survived a car crash. After this surgery Michael became septic. His wife was informed that he had less than a 5% chance of surviving the surgery he needed to determine the cause of his septicemia, but the doctor himself was unsure he could even get him to the operating table as his condition was that critical. Miraculously, he survived.

After the surgery Michael remained in a coma and experienced organ failure. He depended on a number of machines and dialysis to survive. At this point it was becoming clear that due to the medication given to Michael to keep the blood pumping to his brain that he had not gotten enough blood flow to his fingers and toes and that if he were to survive, he would lose them.

Many of us thought Michael was going to die. I for one flew over to the United States for what I thought was going to be his funeral. I was wrong.

Less than a week after, Michael opened in his eyes. This gave us great hope. But unfortunately that hope was limited. Soon after Michael showed signs of awareness more bad news came. Tests were indicating that Michael had had a stoke that seemed to have left him paralyzed, possibly brain damaged and his organs were showing no signs of working.

Knowing Michael, many of us knew that this was not the quality of life Michael wanted. He was a gymnast, swimmer, golfer and all around awesome dad to his son Jacob. We all wanted him here for Jacob, but we also knew that he wanted to have more than a life connected to machines.

We all knew Micheal was a strong and stubborn man. And although we all hoped for another miracle, we were not expecting one. After a few more setbacks Michael started coming back in full force. Organs that were never expected to work, started working. A voice that was never to be heard, spoke. A body that was never meant to move, did. Michael was on his way back. Once it was clear that Michael was going to survive the decision to amputate his fingers and feet was made.

What Michael has survived is truly incomprehensible. We are tremendously grateful for this miracle, but we know that this is the beginning of Michael’s fight. A fight he will win. But his family needs our help. I ask you here, if you can, to donate to this cause and become a part of the team that supports this incredible man.

Go Fund Mike!