Joe was one of those kids who would do anything for a laugh. From rough-housing and telling dirty jokes, to holding my phone high above my reach and flirting with my friends. Joey has always been truly one of a kind. When I was a teenager, his antics often annoyed me. Any younger brother/cousin/boy would annoy a teenage girl. But as we both got older, Joe softened a bit. The last time I saw him, he was quieter, more considerate, and polite. He was incredibly sweet with his little brother, Kami, and respectful to his parents. It was a whole new Joe.
I remember commenting to his mother, my Aunt Nancy, about how mature Joe had gotten. I believe she responded with something to the effect of, "He's growing up." That statement surprised me a little - my baby cousin, whose diapers I've changed and bottles I'd warmed, was growing up. And becoming quite a decent young man, at that. He went from getting punched at school because of his smart mouth to having dozens of friends. He went from girl-crazy little boy to a settled down boyfriend of one lucky young lady. From pushing his little cousins around to wrestling champ. His transformation has been amazing.
And now. This.
Joe was in a bad car accident almost 2 weeks ago. To be honest, when he was brought to the hospital, doctors thought he wouldn't survive. We all prepared ourselves for the worst.
And then Joe surprised us all. He survived his first surgery. His injuries were severe, but he was strong. If only we had realized then just how strong he really is. Since then, he has progressively gotten better, although he's certainly not out of the woods just yet. He has a few infections at the moment, and once those are under control, a very long road to recovery. But I truly believe he will be ok.
I am not a big "pray-er." I don't go to Church or say the rosary. I believe in God; but perhaps before, He was a God of convenience - I'd only talk to Him when I needed or wanted something. After this ordeal with Joey, I believe in the power of prayer. I was astonished at the outpouring of support and prayer for my family. I wish I could thank you all individually.
At this time, my family is at the hospital with Joe around the clock. They have not been working, and recently, someone used their credit card for unauthorized purchases. They are in the middle of refinancing their home. My Uncle has just been summoned for Jury Duty (which is a hassle under even normal circumstances) - not to mention what will surely be astronomical hospital and rehabilitation bills.
So, this is why I am beginning this page. If you click on the Donate button to the right of this blog, you can make a donation securely to the Polakiewicz family. I assure you, I'm no scammer - I am Nancy's niece (the daughter of her sister). I want them to get the most out of your donation, so I chose to use PayPal because it is secure and they only take a very small percentage. For example, they take $2.50 for every $100.
Regardless of if you donate or not, I want to thank you for all of the support and prayers you all have given my family during this trying time. Our Joe is a fighter, and he will continue to fight until he has recovered. I will be re posting my uncle's updates about Joe here as well, so people will be able to read the latest before they donate.
If anyone has any questions at all, please contact me at prayersforjoe@yahoo.com. Thank you all so much!! Let's keep this miracle going!!
xoxo,
Brittne
