SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) — “If you talk to anyone who knew him, they would all say he’d drop anything he was doing to try to help.”
Dan Hester’s nephew, Will Baugher, now hopes to do the same.
“I feel like it’s my responsibility to try to bring awareness to the situation that he’s facing,” said Baugher.
Hester is on a ventilator at TriStar Centennial Medical Center fighting COVID-19. The Spring Hill man grew up in Brentwood and was a police officer there for many years. He a father to 19-year-old Makayla.
“She’s his little girl,” said Baugher.
Hester’s health declined quickly after both of his parents, whom he was caretaker for, contracted COVID-19 and were admitted to the ICU.
“A few days after that,” explained Baugher, “Dan started having a fever. He had a fever of 104 degrees.”
Hester was also admitted to the hospital. Shortly after, Baugher’s grandfather passed.
“That was November 3, on November 7, my grandmother passed away. All this happened while Dan was heavily sedated and not in a state to be able to hear any information like that or be able to process it. So Dan still doesn’t know that information yet.”
Even with medical insurance, Hester’s family expects the bills to be extensive. Baugher created a GoFundMe page to help offset the cost. More than 100 people have already donated.
“We’re so thankful there’s so much giving that’s already taking place. We’ve got friends and family on there, but there are people giving that I don’t even know who they are or how to reach out and thank them. We really are thankful,” said Baugher.
Doctors tell the family that Hester will be on a ventilator for several more weeks and his recovery will be difficult. If you can’t help give, they ask for prayers.
