In December of 2013, After a trip to the ER I was diagnosed with what they believed was pneumonia and admitted to my local hospital.  My condition quickly deteriorated in the coming days.  I was intubated and placed in a medically induced coma.  The decision was made that my local hospital could no longer help me and I was loaded onto a lifeflight helicopter and transported to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC. I was then diagnosed with H1N1 , Severe Septic Shock and ARDS and ultimately placed on ECMO life support.  I spent 49 days in ICU and months in rehab and physical therapy. In 2015, I started having respiratory issues which was related to the aftermath of H1N1.  Doctors discovered that H1N1 had caused more damage than originally thought.  I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a terminal disease.  Pulmonary Fibrosis causes scarring of the lungs and carries a 3 to 5 year survival rate.  The only cure is a lung transplant.  I am currently on continuous oxygen.  The oxygen requirement has increased as the disease has progressed.  Pulmonary fibrosis has now left me with other health issues such as pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure. I am now in need of a double lung transplant to ensure that this disease, which has ravaged my body, does not take my life.  I am currently a patient in UNC’s Lung Transplant Program.  In order to qualify to be listed for transplant, UNC has set several goals.  These are related to weight loss, completing pulmonary rehab and raising $30,000.  The finances are raised to ensure that my family and I can afford to take care of my new lungs once the transplant is a success.  These funds will help cover what most of insurance will not such as medical supplies, anti-rejection meds, appointments and rehab, and a 24/7 caregiver post transplant.  In addition to raising medical funds, this benefit concert will share the love of Jesus with our community.  My faith is the foundation of my life and it’s through Jesus and his gift of contemporary Christian music that has helped me cope with these illnesses.  That’s why I want to share both with others, thus we created the annual Just Breathe Benefit concert featuring artists that have helped me and my family through this tough journey and helped us keep our eyes and heart on Jesus.