Help Ollie 2.0 Soar: Support His Recovery Journey

On September 9th, our fearless seven-year-old Ollie slipped under the water in his bathtub and passed out- an event so sudden and unexplained. Doctors did not think he would make it from the ER to PICU but he defied the odds. Thanks to the quick response of his 19-year-old sister, whose lifeguard training kept him with a pulse and water out of his lungs until paramedics arrived.

Three weeks at Sanford Medical Center followed: endless testing to determine “why,” MRIs, EEGs,  EKGs, and various medications to stabilize him. Without a Pediatric Rehabilitation Facility in our state we wereat the mercy of insurance and hopeful another facility out of state would accept him.

After waiting for acceptance, we were met with numerous roadblocks. When a delayed fax from our insurer grounded his rehab transfer, we refused to give up. The Sanford medical staff, friends, and family mounted an all-out campaign- and angels in the sky answered. On September 30th, Ollie flew north via Angel Flight to Gillette Children’s Rehab.

Gillette staff is already astonished by the resilience they call “Ollie grit.” Here, his days are packed like school: PT, OT, speech, music, and outdoor therapy, all sequenced like a “therapy bus” rolling through campus. He beams brightest in music therapy’s rhythm and fresh-air breaks, even if speech drills test his patience.

I’m here from Bismarck, ND, on 12 weeks of unpaid leave-blessed with an employer holding my teaching job for spring. Every mile, meal, and lodging adds up fast. Alongside me is his nine-year-old brother Owen, virtual-school champ and Ollie’s personal coach and cameraman. My two adult children visit on weekends, filling our room with laughter and hugs. Yet living expenses back home don’t stop, travel, specialized equipment, adapting our family home for his return, and  rising medical bills loom large.

Ollie was never supposed to survive that first day. But he did. He’s pushing past every barrier, writing his own comeback story- Ollie 2.0. Will you stand with him? Your gift, big or small, will keep us together near Gillette, cover essential expenses, and fuel the hope that has carried him this far. 

From the depths of our hearts, thank you for lifting Ollie higher than he’s ever dreamed.