John D. Monteith is a father, artist, husband, and friend. I only met him recently but immediately could see and feel what a good, kind soul he is. He's cynical and snarky in all the best ways. He looks out for the people he cares for. His artwork is profoundly distinct and unique and shows new ways of seeing the world. He is quite hard on himself about his art, but there is not an ounce of hubris attached to his work. He approaches his art as a craft he is compelled to work on everyday. As his health has begun to rapidly decline, this is taking a toll on his ability to have as much stamina as he used to to work on his art. That is why I have decided to start this fundraiser. Three years of mounting medical bills with no end in sight plus an expanding array of doctor visits and pharmaceuticals along with the costs associated with a homebound life so reliant upon others are the primary reasons for the urgency of this fundraiser. So as we begin this new and potentially frightening phase of his illness, with all it's uncertainty, I would like to make an appeal on behalf of John and his loved ones.

He is a 56 year old painter who has worked in various media for more than 30 years. He currently lives in Columbia, South Carolina.

In February 2020, John's life was irrevocably changed by a sudden, surprising and near-fatal collapse due to an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. 

This required a 22-day stay in cardiac ICU during which he underwent four separate surgical procedures, most notably a mechanical heart valve replacement. 

Two days following open heart surgery, he coded and had to be resuscitated during a rare but deadly cardiac event.

This necessitated the implantation of a combined defibrilator/pacemaker in the event he experienced irregular rhythms or worse, went into cardiac arrest.

In the midst of all this, he was unfortunately diagnosed with terminal congestive heart failure and given a general prognosis of five to 10 years. 

At the very beginning of the Covid pandemic, he was discharged from the hospital. 

During the first years of his recovery, he did what he could to manage the inevitable and gradual decline of this unpredictable illness. 

Then, a few days after Thanksgiving of 2022, he had the first of a series of small strokes that has left him with balance and coordination issues, vision impairment, headaches, extreme fatigue and a loss of appetite. As a result, he now also experiences unpredictable bouts of anxiety with severe depression and mental confusion.

All of this has made it increasingly difficult for him to work and function day to day. Often making even the most mundane activities burdensome.

Recent events have also made the possibility of another stroke or heart attack that much more likely, necessitating the need for near-constant care and monitoring.

Please consider donating whatever you can to help my dear friend and if you can, please share this link with your friends and family.

Thank you most sincerely for your support and assistance. May all of you be blessed.