Hospital Activity Kit for Sweet Brewer

Today I want to share a story about my good friend. Jerai and I were college roommates our first year at BYU-I. I went to school knowing NO one and although I was ready for this new adventure I prayed I would find friends and have happy experiences. I am so thankful that God put Jerai in my life. She and I had so much in common as 18 year olds and we instantly connected. Fast forward 13+ years and now we have families of our own and live in different states but have continued to stay in touch. I've watched her go through SO much hardship and pain. She's been given so many trials and my heart hurts for what she has gone through. Why can one person/one family be given so many hardships and have to deal with so much? But Jerai doesn't complain. She just pushes forward and puts everyone else before her. She fights for her family and her happiness. Please join with me to help her family in any way you can. Donate money, help us with a hospital fun kit for Brewer, support and spread awareness of heart disease, and/or share this story. I know that as we support each other in our hardships, we can lighten their load, and comfort this beautiful family!

Brewer was born 2/26/2012, 13 days early. 12 hours after he was born, he was life flighted to Primary Children's in Salt Lake to undergo more testing to figure out the extent of an undiagnosed heart defect. 24 hours later we were informed that he had a very severe heart defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Our choice was to take him home and let him live the few weeks his heart would allow or to start down a road full of open heart surgeries and eventually a heart transplant. They told us that the journey would be difficult, but that didn't really mater. We knew Brewer was strong and would fight, and we were going to fight for him too. He had his first open heart surgery, the damus, at 3 days old. After about 3 weeks we were able to bring him home. Caring for him for the next 4 months was eye opening. I had never done anything to hard. His demands took a toll us on physically, mentally, and spiritually, as well as financially. But there were moments of joy and happiness in between. In July of 2012, when Brewer was 5 months old, he had his second open heart surgery, the Glenn. He did well and after about 10 days were on our way home again. Since then he has done extremely well and thrived. He has exceeded the norm in many instances and even though he runs off of about 80% oxygenated blood, keeps up with his brother. He his our joy and anyone who meets him knows immediately what a special kid he is.

 

After Brewer's Glenn surgery we have been adjusting to our knew normal and life has been quite enjoyable. We have been able to have our kids at our windshield shop while we work during the day and we take them out into nature as much as possible in any spare time. We love to camp, mountain bike, dirt bike, fish, paddle board, float the river, go to the park, ski and spend time in Grand Teton National Park. Life really couldn't be any better with our little family.


At the beginning of this year we planned one last trip with the kids before our shop got too busy and before our newest addition, a little girl, would arrive in October. We planned to go to Moab, UT and camp for a few days; let the kids play in the sand, the big boys would do some dirt bike rides and we would all enjoy the warm sun. Unfortunately on that trip, my husband, Phil was in a horrible dirt bike accident. He fell 125 feet off a cliff while riding and it has been miracle after miracle that he survived. He broke his pelvis in 6 places, broke both legs, his ribs, the lower lumbar in his back and separated his shoulder, not to mentioned some other less serious bruises. We are so grateful that he gets another chance and that we still get a father and a husband.

He has undergone 13 surgeries and procedures under anesthesia, and spent 4 weeks in the hospital, plus other little stays as well. The recovery process has been long and hard, but I'm so proud of him for fighting and working hard every day to battle through the pain and build his strength back. We have been overwhelmed by the support and love from all of our family and friends and even from people that we have never met. It truly has been from everyone else's care for us that we have made it this far

As Phil continues to recover and as October approaches we are preparing for Brewer's third open heart surgery, which has been rescheduled for the 4th time this year to August 25th. We are anxious and nervous to go through that with him, but in a way we are looking forward to getting that surgery behind us.

How can I help? You might ask... here are some ways you can help!

Buy a Brew Crew shirt to help spread awareness and support their family.
Go HERE to purchase shirts.
Donate directly to their family
HERE
Donate to Sending Smiles so we can get a hospital kit together for Brewer's surgery in August using the PayPal button below.
Make or send an item to add to his hospital kit!
Feel free to comment if you can help or message me directly: kirsti.clark@gmail.com

Thank you so much for helping this special family!! I know they will appreciate any help & support we can give them!

You can follow their family adventures HERE