Go Fund Me page established for Michael Smith, fondly known around Carson area as 'Bread Man'

Dear Friends and Family and Friends of Friends (please pay this forward and pass it on), my name is Wendy Fox. I am writing to you today to ask for donations for my brother Michael Smith. He is in need of a lung transplant and has 12-18 months to live without one. There is only a window of the next 6-months for the doctors to allow Michael to be a recipient of a lung donation due to his body struggling to cope.

We have established a Go Fund Me page to help. Go here for the page.

For those of you who live in Reno and Carson City; South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento, Calif., and cities in between, you have most likely seen my brother, Michael Smith. He is the one carrying an oxygen tank in one arm and his camera equipment in the other arm.

He is the guy filming on the sidelines of a ball game, a parade, a museum, a live music concert; a restaurant opening; and more. He is always on-hand to film and promote the local happenings to the viewers on the local public broadcasting television stations and his local You tube channel called Nevada Trails TV. See video by clicking here. You can also view the video below.

Michael Smith loves to get involved with the community. He has dressed up as “Casey the Crocodile” and “Lucky Duck” in Gardnerville, Nevada. The Kids and Horses Riding Center for the disabled is a program near and dear to his heart having had to face his own injuries and life of disability. The local firemen of the Gardnerville, Nevada, area fire department nicknamed Michael “The Bread Man,” because of his tireless efforts in gathering food for the poor. Here is a link of Michael on You tube sharing a bit about himself click here; Michael participating in tabs for kids.

We are reaching out today to ask for your help and support. As some of you may know, my brother has been struggling with health issues ever since his closed-head injury when he was a young man. The brain injury caused water to gather on his brain. The water pressure on his brain caused him to begin to lose the use of his legs. The brain surgery took place on June 23, 2021, at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California.

They put a stint in Michael's brain to drain the water off. The surgery was a success. After the surgery, Michael was doing well, all except for his lungs. The doctors, at the time, had thought that the water pressure on Michael's brain might have also contributed to his poor lung functioning. It did not turn out to be the case. Michael's lung capacity has steadily decreased since the brain surgery. The doctors determined that he needed a lung transplant and immediately placed him on the lung transplant list.

While waiting for his name to come to the top of the lung transplant list, Michael has experienced other set-backs which called for surgery/hospitalization and rehab which has included; a blocked intestine, hernia, pneumonia and most recent a brain bleed sending him to the hospital over Christmas 2023.

Michael's need is great. Michael's medical bills and needed care has exceeded what his family can provide. Right now, he is struggling just to keep going until the scheduled surgery date. Michael has been on disability since the brain injury years ago. He gets limited income when he is able to video record for local community gatherings and meetings. When his health fails, like it did over Christmas keeping him in the hospital and then rehab for almost 6-weeks, it eliminates any chance for Michael to make any supplemental income.

With his upcoming lung transplant surgery, tentatively set for May 2024, there is a great need for Michael to attend various doctor appointments to complete the required preliminary tests in San Francisco and Stanford facilities to prepare for the surgery. He needs help with the costs of transportation and gas getting him to and from the appointments as well as his hotel/motel and meal accommodations while there for Michael and a family member who escorts him there. This need will continue while he is in recovery at Stanford after the transplant with the need for transportation to and from hotel and the hospital as well as costs for transportation and gas (flights/car) accommodations for his family who will rotate as caregivers on-site while he is in recovery for 6-weeks at the Stanford Hospital.

Donations for Michael would help cover not only the initial medical bills but also the additional cost of getting Michael's family members to California (via flight/car), hotel/food cost for caregivers, transportation costs for caregivers while there and living expenses for Michael and his caregivers following the surgery which initially is 6-8 weeks in the hospital/rehab facility; then another 2-3 months for his home care. His need is great. Our needs as caregivers to help Michael are great. Your donations no matter how big or small will make a big difference in my brother's life.

Michael is one of the good guys. He does so much good for the community. Michael has a huge heart for the underdog. He goes out of his way to help others. Michael is a big advocate for those in need. He gathers food from local merchants and distributes it to the local food banks. In the summer months, Michael packs up lunch bags to distribute to homeless in need that he encounters throughout his day.

Michael loves music and has offered to many new singing artists the opportunity of helping them with their first demo. His payment was two-fold being first to pay it forward to someone else when you are a success; and second to refer a friend after the session. Michael would contact the friend and continue with his own version of paying it forward.

Michael shared a video of his initial brain injury that was filmed when he was a young man, but was uploaded to his YouTube site years later. See video below. Health talk featuring Michael Smith. He shares at that time the beginning stages of his life following his brain injury. Even with his new found situation in having a disability, Michael was trying to help others in the same situation.

Despite Michael's hardships in struggling during his wait for his lung transplant surgery, Michael remains optimistic and positive. He has a great sense-of-humor which I believe has been pivotal in getting him through the lows, but most of all he has great faith.

I am pleading to all of you angels out there, please help my brother. He needs some bread to make it until his lung transplant which is just around the corner. He has done so well. He has been so brave. Please have a heart for the underdog and give what you can today. I ask also that you “pay it forward” and share this message with your friends and family about Michael.

Thank you for taking the time to read about Michael's story. Thank you for your donations.

Sincerely,

Wendy Fox (Michael's little sister)

Go Fund Me page can be found here.