Fire and Heart

As a father of two young girls and a boy, my heart breaks from this sudden tragic incident that will forever change the life of a father and his daughter. And I will do whatever I can to help.

What would you do if your son or daughter was burned badly in a fire? What would you do if she had no health insurance and was dependent completely on Medicare?

            Would you weep or pray? Would you search for answers and try to raise money to cover all the expenses that threaten to destroy you?

            These are not theoretical issues. On March 5, 2010, a 19-year-old girl was badly burned in a house fire when a candle fell over and started to burn. By the time the night was done, Connie received burns over 40% of her body, mainly on her chest, back, legs, and feet. When the fire trucks came, she wasn’t breathing and had to be resuscitated.

            Ten weeks later, Connie is at Detroit Receiving ICU Burn Unit and will probably be there for a long time to come. She doesn’t have health insurance and Medicare only covers some of her costs. Yet, she needs extensive physical therapy and medical care which will require large, unforeseen medical expenses.

            Her father, a single dad, has been employed by our company for over two years and has full custody of his daughter. And he is responsible now for her expenses and is also needed to be by her side.

            He and his family have set up the Connie Hendrickson Burn Fund to help her rebuild her life. Donations can be sent to the “Connie Hendrickson Burn Fund” at LOC Federal Credit Union, 22981 Farmington Road, Farmington, MI 48336-3915, or you can call them at 248-474-2200. Cards or notes can be sent to her father, Dennis Bierschbach, 23057 Haynes, Farmington Hills, MI 48336, and he will be sure to give them to her.

            As Dennis’ employer, our company will be donating. But money is just not enough.

            As a father of two young girls and a boy, my heart breaks from this sudden tragic incident that will forever change the life of a father and his daughter. And I will do whatever I can to help.

            I ask everyone who can pitch in to do so.

            Connie is going to have her 20^th birthday in June.

            Let’s make it just a little bit happier for her.