a plea for help

I know I don't usually go this route with my posts, but my good friend Mekayla asked me to help some good friends of hers, Steve and Nikki Gutierrez, and I'm more then willing to in any way I can.

Steve and Nikki were married on May 25th of this year. Less then two months into their marriage and just barely after they moved into their newly purchased home, Steve was in a very serious motorcycle accident. The other driver was cited, but Steve almost lost his life and then almost lost his right arm. At this point in time, it is believed that his arm will never properly function again. Other major injuries include a fractured skull, fractured vertebrae in his lower neck, a broken arm between his elbow and shoulder, and damaged ligaments in his left knee, not to mention innumerable cuts, bruises, and contusions.

The results of this poor couple's bad luck? Steve is going to need a lot of physical and occupational therapy and he likely won't be able to work for months or year (and even then having to deal with a damaged right arm). Nikki, his wife, has already had to miss a lot of work and is likely to continue having to miss a lot of work as her husband will require almost constant attention, especially in the upcoming months. To top it off, they estimate the medical bills alone could exceed $1 million dollars, only about one-third of which will be paid for by insurance, at best.

What can we do to help? Here's a few ideas...

First off, a website has been created for the couple at http://helpsteveandnikki.com/. Go there to find more detailed information, pictures, and updates as well as multiple ways to help support them both financially and emotionally.

Feel free to donate whatever you're comfortable with, even if it's just a few dollars. A few dollars from a lot of people can make a big difference!

Help to spread the word! Tell others about the website, become a fan of their facebook page, tell your friends and family Steve and Nikki's story, and so forth. There's also a list of possible ways to help spread the word on the website.

Offer words of encouragement to Steve and Nikki through the form on their website or via facebook. They've really been touched and encouraged by all of the comments so far. They literally had hundreds of fans the first day the facebook page went live at the end of last week and it continues to grow every day. It has been such a blessing to them!

Lastly, any positive thoughts or prays you can send their way are always, always welcome. I'm sure they need all the help they can get!

Thanks so much for your time and listening ear everyone! Here's the website for y'all one more time: http://helpsteveandnikki.com/