GEORGETOWN - Atikokan resident Jeremy Veran has two guardian angels coming to his aid from over a thousand kilometres away.
Georgetown mother and daughter Michele and Carly Albrecht – Veran’s aunt and cousin – are raising funds for his family to help meet several medical needs.
When Veran - now 29 - was a baby, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). His parents learned many years later, to their horror, that he was misdiagnosed. In reality, he had a broken neck.
Michele remembers feeling shocked by the news that her then-nine-year-old nephew had been living with an injured neck the whole time.
Hungarian specialists, under the impression he had CP, administered the wrong treatment. He received hyperbaric oxygen treatment he did not need. For the first nine years of his life, Veran was surviving on luck and the warmth of his family, immediate and extended.
"Having undergone several surgeries trying to repair his neck and spine, Jeremy was left as a quadriplegic, needing a tracheotomy and ventilator to survive," Michele wrote on a GoFundMe page she and Carly have set up to help Jeremy.
"Despite these challenges, those who know Jeremy are inspired by his remarkably positive outlook on life. His infectious positivity brings joy and laughter to everyone he meets."
During his annual visits to Georgetown, his local relatives ensured that he got the most out of his trips.
"We’d make sure that the whole week was fun-filled for him – going to Niagara Falls and Toronto,” Carly said.
“That’s why my aunt was comfortable enough to reach out to my mom for help.”
Money raised will go towards replacing the family’s aging accessible vehicle. Parts of the funds will be divided between his ongoing treatment, making his home more accessible and much-needed equipment.
The Albrechts describe their relative as the life of the party who, cousin Carly says, “everyone goes to for joy.”
“Which is crazy to think about because of the pain he’s had his whole life. But he puts a smile on everyone’s face."
