This crowdfunding effort is being organized by Peter Burns.

Thank you for reading this important story and please consider sharing it.

We are family and friends of Chuck B. and his spouse Dee. We’ve created this crowdfunding effort to raise funds to support them now during a time of terrible medical hardship. After miraculously surviving several nasty Covid infections (and a similar virus), and 55 years of undiagnosed and unsupported autism, our beloved Chuck sustained a traumatic, life threatening, and debilitating injury. Chuck and Dee need our help. Here is their story:

Chuck is an exceptional engineer, devoted spouse, woodworker, motorcycle enthusiast, dog SAR (Search and Rescue) volunteer, Eagle Scout and BM Ranger 2002 -2007, a protector and admirer of footed, finned and winged creatures. Their medical hardship began in early 2020 when both Chuck and Dee were hit with an intense case of Covid. Then, in early 2021, at 55 years of age, Chuck was finally diagnosed as being neurodiverse, a high functioning autistic (HFA) person. He is a member of The Autism Lost Generation, many of whom remain undiagnosed for most or all of their lives.

Chuck and Dee diligently followed medical advice in 2021 which, in retrospect, worsened his lifelong, chronic sleep disorder exacerbated by the first Covid infection. In August 2021, Chuck had a second severe viral infection and was unable to return to work and has not since. Adding insult to injury, Chuck and Dee were infected with Covid again, for a month in early 2023, and then Chuck suffered the following traumatic injury.

In May of this year, while walking up a steep and long set of outdoor concrete and wooden steps, Chuck lost his footing and fell all the way down the stairs striking his head on the cement steps several times. He sustained traumatic brain and skull injuries: (1) a subdural hemorrhage on one side, (2) a subdural hematoma on the other, (3) 3 skull fractures, (4) outer brain bruising, and (5) a severe cranial laceration.

As a result of these injuries, Chuck spent the next 28 days in the ICU, TICU and several other medical treatment facilities. While his prognosis is very positive, he will require extensive additional medical support and continuity of care in the years to come. Every step of the way, Dee, his partner and spouse of 22 years, sourced and coordinated his medical team—strongly advocating for him in the hospitals. She continues to provide his care and manage their medical team from home.

During this difficult nearly four-year period, while Chuck was unable to work, they paid COBRA for 18 months and are now directly paying the full cost of medical insurance, as well as mortgage payments, medical bills, and other expenses. As a result, they exhausted decades of savings and retirement accounts and were unable to make critical house repairs (e.g., leaking roof, plumbing, etc.).

Last month in November and moving forward, they have bills coming due, including taxes, a mortgage, medical bills, a large and growing credit card balance, and a direct pay medical insurance premium.

Years prior to finally being diagnosed as high functioning autistic, Chuck, like many neurodiverse autistic people, began isolating more and more. He is lucky to be alive and getting treatment, in contrast to many of The Autism Lost Generation who die young, often by accident or their own hand, without appropriate intervention and treatment. Our beloved Chuck is finally healing and is becoming ready to reconnect with many friends from whom he became so disconnected over time.

We're asking you to join us now, to support this remarkable couple, who for many years have substantially contributed to our community by supporting and protecting those most vulnerable by voluntarily providing much needed technical, communications and medical care. They still have good, important work left to do. Please, give a gift now, to ease their hardship, so they may keep their home and continue healing and accessing critical medical care. If you have a social media following or network who might contribute at your urging, please consider sharing this important story.

To make a direct gift by paper check:

PLEASE MAKE payable to Peter Burns.

PLEASE INCLUDE IN THE MEMO LINE OF YOUR CHECK:
“FOR C&D MEDICAL HARDSHIP FUND”.

Mail OR COURIER to:

Cooley LLP

ATTN: Peter Burns

3175 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, CA 94304-1130

For donors who have a bank that provides Zelle as a free transfer option, to send gifts via Zelle, when prompted, please use the email: chuck_n_dee_medical_hardship@pm.me. Each bank sets daily, weekly and monthly limits on Zelle transfers. The average daily limits seem to be $2500-5000, but you can arrange multi-day transfers if helpful.
Source: https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/banking/advice/zelle-limits-at-top-banks/

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