Tony’s Big Beautiful Heart Needs Your Help!
Goal:
USD $50,000
Raised:
USD $5,432
Campaign funds will be received by Christine Hay-Martin
Tony’s Big Beautiful Heart Needs Your Help!
You know Tony. The guy who shows up before you even realize you need him. The guy who wouldn’t think twice about spending not just a weekend, but weeks building a VBS set—just to bring joy to a room full of kids. The guy who has spent his life making your life easier, mowing lawns like a Michelangelo of Mulch, and never asking for anything in return.
Well, folks, Tony’s big ol’ generous heart has decided to go on strike. And not in a cute, protesting for better hours way—more like a "Hey buddy, I’m only working at 17% capacity, good luck with that" way. Turns out, Tony has Congestive Heart Failure, which is medical speak for "This guy needs help, STAT."
Why We’re Here (Besides Our Love for Tony)
None of Tony's medical expenses will be covered by insurance. His wife, Theresa, has been working tirelessly to keep their family afloat, but let's be real—no paycheck in the world is built to withstand medical bills that could be measured in "Yikes, that's a lot." And with Tony’s new reality (a defibrillator, a medication cabinet that rivals a pharmacy, and major lifestyle changes), he’s not exactly in a position to jump back into lawn maintenance anytime soon.
The Good, the Bad, and the (Medically) Confusing
• Good News: No blockages! The heart cath says his pipes are clear. 🎉
• Bad News: His heart’s efficiency is at 17%, where normal is 55-70%. His heart is working harder than a squirrel on an espresso shot. 🐿️☕
• Confusing News: Doctors don’t really know exactly why this happened. What we do know is that the next 3-6 months will be critical.
How You Can Help
We’re raising funds to cover Tony’s growing medical expenses, future procedures, and necessary lifestyle changes (which, spoiler alert, are not cheap). Every single dollar helps—whether it’s buying his next round of meds, helping with hospital bills, or just giving him peace of mind so he can focus on healing instead of stressing over finances.
Tony has spent a lifetime showing up for us. Now it’s our turn. Let’s show his heart (the literal and metaphorical one) some love.
💙 Donate, share, send prayers, and help us give Tony the care he deserves! 💙
Recent Donations
Prayers of comfort for the family
Get well soon my brother.
Sending prayers!
Hang tough brother
Sending prayers Tony
Many prayers and much love coming your way.
Thinking of you Mr. Hess and sending love.
Cheering you on! My brother-in-law had a heart attack in the late 1980s and his heart was left with very low functionality. He had a heart transplant in 1989 with pacemaker and defibrillator. 35 years later he is still with us. Keep the faith and follow the doctor’s recommendations.
Love y’all!
Updates
An Update with Heavy Hearts
March 19th, 2025
It’s with profound sadness that we share that Tony lost his battle with his heart and passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday. He fought so hard, and we were so hopeful that his heart would grow stronger—but God had other plans.
Tony was truly one of a kind—a loving husband, an incredible father and Papa, and the kind of person who gave everything to others without hesitation. His ten grandkids were his pride and joy. He never hesitated to snuggle them, play the drums with them, or break into song just to make them laugh. He was playful and fun, always the first one to get down on the floor to play or scoop them up for a hug. They adored him, and he adored them right back. His love and presence will leave a lasting imprint on their hearts forever.
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has donated, prayed, and supported us during this incredibly difficult time. The funds raised that are left will now go toward covering funeral costs and other financial needs as we adjust to life without Tony. Your generosity has been such a gift to our family, and we can’t thank you enough.
We will also keep everyone posted about the details for Tony’s celebration of life. We want to honor him in a way that reflects the incredible person he was and the love he gave to so many.
Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we grieve this unimaginable loss. Thank you again for your love and support—it means more than you know.
With love,
Hess Family
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