Rick and Trinity Futrell reside in Texas and are the parents of Meagan, Dalton, and Samantha. Dalton (23) lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is cared for full-time by his mother and older sister. Their home also holds five cats and multiple fish.
The family has faced challenges in obtaining proper equipment and in-home assistance for Dalton, staying up-to-date on bill payments, and securing a steady income due to Dalton’s need for full-time care. “Dalton is currently on day 290 of this ICU stay, and money has been an incredible stressor since we don’t get paid while he is in the hospital,” says Rick.
Rick also shares, “Dalton is non-ambulatory and we don’t have a vehicle that can accommodate him, so most of the time we watch movies together, play video games, and help take care of Dalton. Since one of us always has to be with him, it has been a while since we’ve gone out as a family.”
Rick first heard of Jett Foundation and the Jett Giving Fund from other families in the Duchenne community, and was encouraged to apply to the Emergency Fund through Facebook. “The Emergency Fund grant has kept us going for a couple more months and helped us catch up on bills,” says Rick. “It was a lifeline when we were drowning, and we will forever be grateful for the respite that Jett Foundation gave us.”
Jett Foundation’s Jett Giving Fund offers families financial assistance through two main branches of support: The Accessible Vehicle Fund helps families obtain safe, accessible transportation; families raise half the funds needed or more for their vehicle and Jett Foundation covers the remaining costs. The Emergency Fund provides grants to families facing unexpected, emergency situations.
The Futrell family offers advice to others in the Duchenne community: “There is help available to you. It’s easy to get lost in the diagnosis and overwhelmed by the requirements that caring for these amazing young men entails. You are not alone. Reach out on social media and join the support groups. Ask questions to those of us that have been through it. There is a whole world of people willing to help if you just reach out.”
Established in 2017, the Jett Giving Fund has helped transform the lives of countless families across the country with over $3.5 million worth of accessible equipment and emergency assistance thanks to the generous support of individual donors, local communities, and major sponsors including Cure Dale’s Duchenne, Fibrogen, the Flatley Foundation, the Killian Family, Michael’s Cause, Ryan’s Quest, and Sarepta Therapeutics.
You can help us to support more families through the two branches of Jett Giving Fund: the Accessible Vehicle Fund and the Emergency Fund. Donate today or learn more about becoming a sponsor by emailing info@jettfoundation.org.
If you or someone you know is in need of support or would like more information on our Jett Giving Fund, please visit jettfoundation.org/giving-fund.
