Hawaii – What began as a dream vacation for the Smith family quickly spiraled into a heartbreaking ordeal that has lasted three months.
Ellen Ennis Smith, her husband PJ Smith, and their adult son Geoffrey flew from North Carolina to Hawaii on April 9, excited for what they hoped would be a trip of a lifetime. But a medical emergency soon turned their dream vacation into a fight for survival.
Medical Emergency Strikes
Just ten days into their trip, the family’s vacation took a drastic turn when PJ Smith was hospitalized with a severe fungal lung infection.
His condition rapidly deteriorated, and he was put into a medically induced coma. During his hospitalization, PJ went into kidney failure, needed dialysis, and developed pneumonia, which required him to be intubated.
“I can probably count on one hand how many nights I’ve slept through the night in this last three months,” said Ellen Smith. “There have been many nights where I thought he was going to die in Hawaii. The doctors thought he was going to die in Hawaii.”
Emotional and Physical Toll
This sudden and grave medical emergency has taken a heavy toll on the family.
Geoffrey Smith, their adult son with cerebral palsy, has had to go without his physical and emotional therapy, including horseback riding, which is part of his training with the North Carolina equestrian team. If he doesn’t return soon, he risks losing his spot on the team.
“I can see his gait has changed as he’s not had therapy in three months,” Ellen Smith said. “I can see emotionally he’s breaking down more.”
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The Struggle to Get Home
While PJ is no longer on life support, he remains too weak to travel by commercial flight. Medical transport from Kuakini Medical Clinic in Hawaii to a hospital in Durham, North Carolina that can provide the necessary care for PJ will cost $140,000, with only $50,000 covered by the family’s travel insurance.
This leaves Ellen Smith in a dire situation, having to choose between returning home without her husband or finding a way to bring him back safely.
“One of the things that scared me is if I leave him here without the support, he’s gonna just give up,” said Ellen Smith. “I feel like if I leave PJ here, I’m a bad wife. If I don’t get [Geoffrey] back, I’m a bad mom. It’s just been very emotional, very hard.”
Hope Through Generosity
Despite the overwhelming situation, the Smiths have found hope in the generosity of others. Donations to their GoFundMe have raised nearly $80,000 to help cover the costs of bringing PJ home and his ongoing medical expenses.
“Now, because of just the graciousness and kindness of people, where the tunnel was dark, I’m seeing light that we might pull this off. We might be able to get him [PJ Smith] home,” Ellen Smith shared.
Looking Ahead
While PJ is expected to require one to two months of rehab, even if his travel and recovery go smoothly, the family remains hopeful that they will be able to return to North Carolina together soon.
The family says any additional donations above their original $70,000 goal will go toward PJ Smith’s continued medical care and rehabilitation as he recovers from his prolonged health crisis.
To help this family get back on their feet, consider donating to their GoFundMe. Every bit helps as they continue to fight to bring PJ home
