On June 28, 2022, 48-year-old Anthony was diagnosed with a paraganglioma tumor that was wedged between his internal and external carotid arteries. But it wasn’t any average tumor—it was the size of a baseball and could not be biopsied due to its location.

His ENT recommended he get multiple opinions due to the severity of the surgery.

Complex Surgery

In July, he saw a specialist at the Moffit Center in Tampa, and in August, he had a consult with a surgeon from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. He ultimately chose to have the surgery at the Mayo Clinic because of their experience with unusual cases.

Anthony’s surgery was so complex it took place in two parts over two days, performed by three separate surgeons.

On September 12, Anthony had surgery to embolize the tumor to cut off the blood supply in an effort to prevent him from bleeding out during the removal of the tumor. He had the second surgery to actually remove the tumor the following day. He was released from the hospital on September 16 with strict instructions to do no more than light walking for the next six weeks.

A Second Stumbling Block

His wife Heather was by his side to help with the medications and caregiving. Then, just two weeks into his recovery, the sirens went off and Hurricane Ian caused mandatory evacuations to his area.

After the storm cleared they assessed the damage. Their home suffered roof damage and their power was out for three weeks. Anthony could not help with any of the cleanup, and most fell to his wife and generous agents in his market center.

Between his health issues and the hurricane, Anthony was unable to work for five months. Once he was cleared to return to work, the real estate market was at a standstill due to the hurricane damage.

KW Cares made an emergency grant following the hurricane to help the family evacuate, but those funds are long gone and medical bills still remain.

How You Help through KW Cares

The KW Cares Grant allowed Anthony & Heather to repair their home, lifted the weight of crushing medical bills, and got them back on track.

Your gifts to KW Cares help KW associates like Anthony navigate difficult life circumstances. Please donate today!