The Videkovich Family

A Letter of Gratitude and Need

To all who have loved and lifted our family during this time —

Words feel small right now, but gratitude is not. Thank you for your prayers, your patience, and the grace you have given us as we have walked one of the hardest roads a family can face.

So many of you have already shown up in tangible, beautiful ways — providing meals, covering hotel stays while we kept vigil far from home, and helping make it possible to bring Ashlyn back to Georgia. Though the hospital ultimately covered her transport, every dollar given went directly to the expenses that surround a crisis like this: food, lodging, and the medical costs that continue to mount. We are humbled and grateful beyond words.

On April 19th, our daughter Ashlyn experienced a sudden and severe medical event that left her without oxygen for a critical period of time, resulting in an anoxic brain injury. After nearly five weeks in a Critical Care Unit at AdventHealth North Pinellas Hospital in Florida, she has now been transferred to Emory’s Long-Term Acute Care (LTAC) facility here in Georgia.

Her abilities are significantly limited at this time, and what the future holds remains uncertain. We are leaning into that uncertainty with faith, even when faith feels like the only thing holding us upright.

What we can tell you is this: God’s hand has been unmistakably present in the details. He placed the right nurse in the right moment more times than we can count. The staff at AdventHealth — from the CCU nurses who prayed over Ashlyn and washed and braided her hair, to the chaplains, the patient care team, and every person who walked through that unit — treated our daughter and our family with extraordinary love. We were also grateful for the care she received at Wesley Chapel for a necessary procedure during her stay.

We are now approaching nine weeks into this journey, and in many ways, it feels as though we are just at the beginning. Ashlyn’s care currently requires around-the-clock attention that we are not yet equipped to provide at home. The term “Long-Term” is something of a misnomer — her stay at the LTAC facility is limited to 30 days, which means we are once again working urgently to identify the right next placement for her recovery and rehabilitation. We have also learned that availability does not always match need, and an out-of-state facility may become necessary.

These are extraordinary financial and emotional circumstances for our family. Any support — through prayer, sharing this page, or giving — means more than we can express.

The words of Psalm 91 have been an anchor for our family in this season — verses 1–2 have brought comfort to Mark and Tammy, and verse 4, just steps away in the same psalm, was the verse spoken over Ashlyn at her baptism.

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.’”

— Psalm 91:1–2 | A verse of comfort for Mark & Tammy

“He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

— Psalm 91:4 | Ashlyn’s Baptism Verse

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.”

— Jeremiah 29:11

We are holding onto that hope with both hands.

With deep gratitude,

The Videkovich Family