Young lives put on hold find a helping hand

When you are young, happily married and a mother of three, you have your whole life in front of you. Or do you?

For 29-year-old Wendy, her life as she knew it, had come to a sudden halt, when she learned at the age of 26 she had an enlarged heart. Upon hearing the news, she and her husband Mike knew their lives were about to drastically change and their future was now uncertain. Within three months of her diagnosis, she was placed on the heart transplant list, and after two years of medications and waiting, she received her new heart in March 2012 at Mayo Clinic.

Wendy and Mike spent the next three months at Gabriel House of Care, away from their three young boys who were back in central Florida, staying with family, while she recovered from her transplant.

“We were so fortunate to have found Gabriel House as it was going to be expensive to stay in a hotel during my recovery, not to mention the emotional toll it would take on us,” Wendy explained.“ Mike had just graduated with his engineering degree and was interviewing for jobs when we found out I had an enlarged heart. He had to drop everything to care for me and our three boys so things were definitely up in the air for us in so many ways.”

It didn’t take long for them to see the house’s uniqueness or feel the amazing giving spirit that is present through those who work and volunteer as well as the special camaraderie among the guests.

“We didn’t know what to expect when we checked in to the house. We heard it was a wonderful place and it didn’t take long for us to see why,” Wendy shared. “What makes Gabriel House so special is the way it is set up to encourage you to be out of your room when you’re able to. It helps to be in an environment where you can talk with other people who are in a similar situation as they become your support system and uplift you on the difficult days. It’s a very healing experience on so many levels.”

Wendy and Mike left the house on May 26, 2012, their 5th wedding anniversary.