In Memoriam - Stephanie Gerndt

In loving memory of Stephanie, Help Hope Live will continue to accept charitable donations to help defray uninsured costs that were incurred. Stephanie had chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because the nonprofit organization provides both tax-deductibility to the full extent allowed by law and fiscal accountability to contributors. Donors can be sure that charitable contributions will be used only to pay or reimburse medically related and funeral expenses.

To make a kind contribution to Stephanie’s memorial fundraising campaign, select the “Give” button on this page or call 800.642.8399.

For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800-642-8399.

In loving care and remembrance, thank you for your support.

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Family and friends of Stephanie Gerndt are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with a Life-Saving Lung Transplant.

On GIVING TUESDAY, your support will go even further than ever because for 24 hours, Help Hope Live will cover the credit card fees for all donations made at helphopelive.org!

On April 24, 2025, Stephanie, 35 years young, and her parents Brad and Sheila, were given the devastating diagnosis of Late Stage Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis with only one to two or so (undetermined) years to live. We are acting very quickly with the hospital, Lung Transplant Team, various specialists as Stephanie also has a disability, has gastrointestinal disorders, a hole in her heart atria and some dental work yet to be done to get her qualified to be on the Lung Donor List.

Stephanie has chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses. We are finding our Client Services Representative and the entire staff very friendly, empathetic, knowledgeable and helpful every step of the way through this journey. Thank God for this Foundation Help Hope Live so your donations are Tax Deductible while you help Save A Dear Life.

STEPHANIE’S STORY:

Hi. My name is Stephanie D. Gerndt. I have a mother back in Iowa where I was born and raised, a Dad who is here with me in Milwaukee, and an older brother also here in Milwaukee. On April 24, 2025, after 8+ years of progressive breathing and energy difficulties, many tests up to a lung biopsy, I was given the dreadful diagnosis of Late-Stage Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis, a Fatal Lung Interstitial Disease.  Initially a Pulmonologist stated I have only one to two years to live without a lung transplant, however other Pulmonologists stated I may have a bit longer with every case being different.

Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is a term used to describe the behavior of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) that worsen over time, characterized by ongoing lung scarring, declining lung function, and worsening respiratory symptoms. It is a serious, life-long, and ultimately terminal condition, as lung damage is generally irreversible, but treatments can help slow its progression. 

Symptoms

Symptoms of PPF often develop gradually and become more severe over time: 

Shortness of breath (dyspnea), initially during exercise, but eventually while resting.

Persistent dry cough.

Fatigue and extreme tiredness.

Unexplained weight loss.

Aching muscles and joints.

Clubbing, or the widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes. 

Currently I am on a medication to slow the progression called OFEV, however there are side effects that are hard to deal with.  Please help me get my Life-Saving Lung Transplant which has an enormous amount of uninsured unexpected expenses.

I was your regular kid growing up. I loved writing on the internet as well as on paper.  I wrote songs, poetry, stories, some very long like a book horses.  I love to sketch, make digital images, singing and music videos.  My grandpa on my dad’s side helped me learn how to wood burn art and create wooden things. He did all the cutting of wood and stuff, I did hammer, some cutting wood, sanding, painting or staining, and made my visions come to life.

My mothers father died before I was born. My mom always talks about how artistic he was with painting etc. It must have come as a nice surprise to see that both kids, as my brother is artistic too, had a love for art. Mine being mainly semi realistic in drawing and a love of writing stories. I even wrote a book! I love reading and would often be found reading the large Harry Potter books as well as others as my brother was gaming, which he was very good at. Ever since I can remember, I was into WWE and still now am along with all of it’s various other wrestling organizations. My Dad and I have gone to many Wrestling events, one where my Dad surprised me for a Friday Night Smackdown Ring-Side Seats! I was so thrilled! My favorites are Ray Mysterio and Jeff and Matt Hardy (the Hardy Brothers).

I developed love for animals and nature for as long as I can remember. From gardening with my dad and grandpa and helping pick raspberries in my grandpa’s raspberry garden with each year I grew closer to nature and animals. This helped my idea of God from a young age. God gave us all we needed to survive; something no human could do without God like gardening or even breathing. Yes, God supplies the oxygen we breathe the food we need be it plants or animals. God provides.

I have always had pets, lovely kittens – cats, rabbits, dogs.  I also volunteered with my Dad with many various non-profits raising money and awareness.  Also, we volunteered on many Environmental Projects like cleaning up rivers, parks, lakes, cities, and planting so many, many trees over time.  When we moved from Iowa to Milwaukee, WI to help take care of my elderly grandparents who were coming down with Alzheimer’s, I volunteered with my Dad at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

I love spending time with my family, my Dad and Brother being right here in Milwaukee. My Dad and I have many Daddy-Daughter Days for movies, dinners, going to the park, the zoo, used to travel by charter bus with a group from the zoo to other zoos, the first time I was on a jet we went to see his fiancee’ in the Philippines on the other side of the planet! We watch a lot of sports together Iowa State Cyclones, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers. I recently got back into Pokeman with my fiance Mike and my brother Brett.

I grew closer to God as I got older. When a disability struck at 15 years old, I clung to God praying to be normal again.

When I began having difficulties breathing and less energy, a doctor prescribed me an inhaler.  From there on there were lots of tests, X-Rays, CT Scans, EKG as heart rate gets incredibly high, MRI’s lab work. They went from Asthma, COPD, Dad raised Cockatiels and Budgies so described “Bird Fancier’s Disease”, so we got rid of the 4 remaining birds, cleaned every thing down, but I still got worse. They called it many things but now I am experiencing end stage lung disease.

I also have a hole in the atrium of my heart, as well as gastrointestinal issues.

Lung disease made even the simplest things difficult. Showering without getting out of breath, making my bed, bending over to do simple things like pick up something off the floor. It makes me cough to the point I sometimes throw up. Even simple things are difficult now. I cannot walk very far at all without having to take a break where I used to be able to walk a lot even very fast. When I get new lungs, I will be very careful to take my pills on time every day at scheduled times. My alarms on my phones.  My Dad will be my Primary Caregiver with my Secondary Caregivers being my Brother Brett and my Aunt Brenda.

Every day I have to drag around a three-foot-tall oxygen tank and make sure I do not run out of oxygen. It is more difficult then you would think because sometimes I need more oxygen to stop an asthma attack. Thats why my dad carries extra tanks and has extra oxygen tanks at his house. He knows CPR and First Aid, as do other people close to me, and everyone is very careful when I am with them.  I am on an Air Concentrator at night during sleep.  Wearing a mask while sleeping is a pain and sometimes it comes off.

It causes pain. Chest pain that could be anxiety or a pulled muscle or something to do with my lungs. With every pain I go to the doctor to be sure that my lungs are healthy and stable.

I have to take this three-foot-tall oxygen tank everywhere, and have extra just in case/-.

Sometimes I feel like I cannot get enough air. Its a scary feeling. Trying to breathe only to puke and then put on my oxygen is difficult.

My life would be so much better with a lung transplant. I would be able to LIVE LONGER.  I will have some different issues, but at least I would be able to LIVE.

I am literally living breath to breath.  I hope for a miracle. Doctors say my end stage lung disease is severe and incurable. I have strong faith which helps me hold on to hope that I can live more.

I may be disabled with other medical issues, but I already know thanks to that how to take pills myself and the importance of taking them. I am doing Pulmonary Rehabilitation Therapy and Physical Therapy to help me get stronger in preparation for a Lung Transplant. I am on oxygen as well.

My Dad just completed getting the basement all cleaned out and treated for any mol-d and mildew, getting all the carpets removed from the house, flooring redone, walls washed, air ducts cleaned by November 30, 2025 and I will be moving in with him, our kittens Pusa and Perla and dog Rema.

I am asking you to look into your hearts. Even a small donation helps things like finishing up my very expensive dental work (Thanks be to God for St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brown Deer, WI for donating the great portion of the approximate $8,000 uninsured portion!, now just $1,784 according t omy accountant Dad), uninsured doctor, medical tests, specialists, hospital, rehabilitation, physical mental therapies bills, the 8 weeks housing and food my Dad and I will be in the City that performs the Lung Transplant, transportation/mileage, things I will need to help me live as long as possible, etc. Even if it’s just a little, every penny counts. I will continue to update everyone as I go through this. We had to cancel several Dental appointments due to I had an emergency appendectomy with longer recovery period due to my lung disease and other medical problems such as my gastrointestinal, gerd, acid reflux, hole in the atria in my heart). I also was hospitalized for pneumonia, again with a longer than normal recovery period.

Now, my Dad’s house is being renovated, revitalized, sanitized ready for me to move into and ready for post-lung transplant. We are also getting back on track with Dental appointments, will be done soon WOOOOHOOOO!!!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope wherever you are this is just a reminder that in unexpected times, God provides. Thank you and God Bless You!

NOTE FROM DAD:

Stephie is The Daddy’s Girl of Daddy’s Girls, my Little Princess no matter how grown up she is!  Stephanie never smoked, did drugs, or drank, yet she is plagued with this terrible fatal lung disease. It tears my heart to pieces, wrenches my gut when I hear and see my Stephie D.G. Be Sweetpea gasping for air to the point of gagging so many times through the days and nights. Having a child with such a fatal diagnosis and prognosis, well, I do not wish that on anyone.

We thoroughly enjoy our many Daughter-Daddy Days, Movies, Meals, watching Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Iowa State Cyclones Football and Basketball, going to game watches, traveling (her first trip on a jet was to the Philippines the other side of the World) as she is my Travel Buddy, parks, and of course the Zoos all over.

 Through the years, I have been intricately involved in raising literally over millions of dollars for various non-profit organizations, many times with Stephanie by my side, and now I am deeply involved in raising money to Save My Dear, Darling Daughter’s LIFE.  Even now I work for a very worth-while non-profit organization in Milwaukee, WI.

No parent should have to bury their child, it just goes against Nature.

You will help, won’t you please.? Please dig deep into your Heart, Mind, and Spirit.

If you have any Fundraising Ideas or are willing to host a fundraiser, please let us know.

Thank you and May God’s Blessings be Yours!

Brad Gerndt

515-291-4376

[email protected]