Written by Maddy Vitale
Tyler McDaniels has enjoyed sports all his life and is good at them. A former Ocean City High School student, he was a running back on the football team and played lacrosse and wrestled in his youth.
But while Tyler, 18, of Upper Township, was feeling great, he suffered from a vertebral artery dissection, a rare condition for his age. The condition led to multiple strokes, including a major stroke on May 2nd.
The stroke severely affected Tyler's language and motor skills, leaving him unable to walk, write or communicate effectively, according to the family who helped him through the health crisis. That's what it means.
He has a long road to recovery.
His girlfriend, Angelina McMenamin, a senior at Ocean City High School, and her parents, Tom and Helen McMenamin, who live in Ocean City, want to make sure his medical bills are paid. Masu.
The McMenamins have set up a GoFundMe page to help with Tyler's expenses. To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-tyler-mcdaniels-on-his-road-to-recovery.
“He's a really good kid. And he's a really good athlete. He plays every sport he can. He's in great shape,” Tom McMenamin said in an interview Monday. “It's very unfortunate that something like this happened to him and it was a very rare condition for people of his age to be affected by. We want to do everything we can to help him.” I think.”
The goal for the GoFundMe fundraiser was set at $5,000, but it exceeded that goal within days of being set up. As of Monday night, it had risen to $5,115. McMenamin said people may still donate to help Tyler as he continues to recover.
“We're going to keep the GoFundMe page going,” McMenamin said. “There's been great support from the community. Angelina is grateful. Tyler's attitude has been great. He's so grateful for so many participants. It's definitely helped him start his recovery. ”
The specialized care Tyler needs could cost a lot of money, McMenamin said.
He emphasized that the entire community has really rallied around Tyler.
Tyler lives with his grandmother. His mother died when he was five years old. McMenamin said he had been with Angelina for more than two years and had become an important part of her family.
Angelina and Tyler attended Angelina's Junior Prom at Ocean City High School in 2023, and in the photo they can be seen all dressed up for the special night.
Just one year later, everything changed. McMenamin said Angelina did not attend Saturday's senior prom because of Tyler's medical condition.
The family is praying for Tyler's full recovery. And they are doing everything they can to help Tyler on his road to recovery.
“Tyler's doctors are hopeful for his recovery, estimating an 80 to 90 percent chance of improvement with intensive rehabilitation. But the road ahead is long and difficult,” McMenamins said. wrote nanny Paige Dubois on a GoFundMe page set up a week ago.
Tyler has insurance but needs a lot of rehab.
“We want Tyler to receive the best care possible. The situation he's in is very unfortunate. We don't know what his insurance will cover,” McMenamin said. he pointed out. “Tyler will be coming home to us once he's finished rehab. Luckily, I think we're in a good position to give him whatever he needs. We didn't want to burden him. . We just hope he gets better.”
