His Story
An ordinary, healthy life — until it wasn't.
Chris gave years of his life to service: first to his country as a member of the U.S. military, and then to his students as a teacher. In late 2021 he was, by every measure, healthy — active, working full-time, and going to the gym regularly.
After receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in December 2021, Chris ran a fever that came and went for weeks. By February 2022 something was clearly wrong: in the middle of teaching, his students noticed he had stopped making sense, and the right side of his face went numb. He was rushed to the emergency room.
What followed was a frightening cascade of hospitals, scans, and spinal taps — first locally, then at Tulane in New Orleans. MRIs revealed demyelination (damage to the protective coating around his nerves), and doctors diagnosed him with autoimmune encephalitis — his own immune system attacking his brain and nervous system. He began ongoing IVIg infusion therapy in May 2022.
Today, Chris lives with the consequences every single day:
- Vision loss from optic neuritis — his sight has dropped to 20/100 in one eye.
- A severe tremor that makes his hands and body shake, so he relies on a cane.
- Slurred speech (dysarthria) and double vision.
- Crushing fatigue and "brain fog" that stole his ability to do the puzzles and work he loved.
- An irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) and a painful, blistering rash caused by his treatment.
- Weight loss, balance problems, and a loss of the independence to drive and live freely.
Most recently, in June 2026, Chris was hospitalized again for three days as his tremors, speech, and other symptoms worsened. His medical team continues to investigate the exact form of his demyelinating disease while keeping him on treatment. His family believes his injury began with his vaccination — and whatever the cause, the reality is the same: Chris needs ongoing, expensive care to hold on to the progress he's fought so hard for.
Recent moments at home — through it all, Chris keeps smiling.
