Straight Outta Barré (well, kind of)
At the beginning of July, Ali was living her normal life—a wife, a mom to two daughters, working, taking care of her family, and doing all of the ordinary things we so easily take for granted.
Within a matter of weeks, all of that changed.
Ali first became sick with an infection that led to a four-day hospital stay. When she was finally discharged, we felt relieved. We thought we had made it through the scary part. She was home, she could recover, and life could slowly start getting back to normal.
Instead, something new began.
Ali started noticing unusual symptoms in her feet. For about five days, they stayed there. We were concerned, but none of us could have imagined what was coming.
Then, in less than 48 hours , the symptoms traveled from her feet all the way up her body and eventually reached her mouth. Suddenly, Ali was struggling to move, function independently, and even speak normally.
There really aren’t words for what it’s like to watch someone you love lose abilities that were completely normal just days before.
One moment, Ali was going about everyday life. The next, her family was watching her fight to do routine things she had never before needed to think about.
After being admitted to ECU Health and undergoing an extensive neurological workup, we finally had an answer: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).
GBS is a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nerves. It can progress incredibly quickly, and recovery can be slow and unpredictable.
Ali received IVIG treatment and began the long process of recovery.
And that is where we are now. We are learning that recovery isn’t always measured in huge victories.
Sometimes it’s a movement that wasn’t possible yesterday.
Sometimes it’s being able to do one more thing independently.
Sometimes it’s simply making it through a difficult day and getting up to try again tomorrow.
Every bit of progress matters to us now.
Through all of this, Ali is still Ali.
She’s still the person her daughters look to for comfort, love, and reassurance—even while she is the one who needs so much care and support right now.
Her family has watched the person they love suddenly become dependent on others while also trying to hold together the countless pieces of everyday family life. Her daughters have had to adjust to seeing their mom sick and unable to do the things she normally does.
As a family, we’re trying to create as much normalcy as possible in a situation that has been anything but normal.
And then there is the financial reality.
GBS didn’t give us time to prepare.
Our family did not have time to plan for the realization that a two income home is not a reality right now when her illness made returning to work impossible. But while Ali’s ability to work stopped almost overnight, the responsibilities of everyday life didn’t. There are day to day bills. two daughters to care for, and a household that needs to keep running.
On top of those everyday expenses are the medical, rehabilitation, equipment, and other recovery-related costs that come with helping Ali regain as much strength and independence as possible.
That’s why we’re asking for help.
Our goal with this fundraiser is simple: to help keep Ali’s family and home stable while she does the incredibly hard work of recovering.
Donations will help with medical and rehabilitation expenses, essential household expenses, and the unexpected costs that continue to arise throughout her recovery.
We can’t make her nerves heal faster.
We can’t predict exactly how long recovery will take.
For anyone who knows Ali, you know how much her family means to her. Right now, more than anything, she wants to regain her independence and get back to the life that was so abruptly interrupted.
We believe she will get there.
Until then, we’re celebrating every victory.
Every movement.
Every bit of strength regained.
Every step toward independence.
And every day that brings Ali a little closer to being able to do the things she loves with the people she loves most.
If you’re able to donate, please know that no amount is too small. Every contribution helps take one more worry off this family’s shoulders.
If you’re unable to donate, sharing Ali’s story is an equally meaningful way to help. And above all, please continue to keep Ali, her wife, and their girls in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate the road ahead.
Life looked completely different for this family just a few weeks ago.
Our hope is that, someday, this will simply be the chapter they look back on and say:
That was incredibly hard—but we made it through together.
Until then, we’ll keep showing up.
We’ll keep celebrating the small victories.
We’ll keep believing in recovery.
And we’ll keep taking it one day, one milestone, and one step at a time.
Thank you for helping us carry Ali and her family through this chapter and toward the day when she can get back to being the wife, mom, and woman she was before GBS turned their world upside down.
