A Cochrane family is looking to the community for their support as loving father and dedicated husband, Chris Frohwerk, has recently faced a fourth heart attack.
Brandi Frohwerk, Chris’ wife, said her 43-year-old husband was faced his fourth heart attack on Feb. 15, followed by surgery on Feb. 21. She would best describe themselves as a pair of broken bodies, as she recently faced her fourth major spine surgery.
“It’s amazing that he’s had two and he’s still here, let alone four,” Frohwerk said. “We were told after the last one that if he had another one, it would be high chances that he wouldn’t come out of it.”
After spending a week in the hospital, Chris experienced two more heart-related episodes. Although they were not heart attacks, doctors informed her that Chris’ heart was in need of medical attention.
“He had another stent put in, and the previous one that they put in 2021 had failed,” she said. “And so, they had to put in an additional one in there as well. So, he’s got four stents now.”
Frohwerk said the family does not receive disability income. As their only source of income, and a born and raised farm boy, she said Chris would always go back to work within hours or the following day of a heart attack.
“This time the doctors said he cannot do that,” Frohwerk said. “He needs to take as much time off as possible, but with how income works, we get half of what he would make beforehand. And it takes weeks, and that’s not something anybody can live off of now.”
As a family of nine with five children still at home, Frohwerk said they have been under a lot of stress and pressure. In an effort to ease off some pressure from Chris and have him follow the doctor’s orders; she recently started a fundraising campaign to support her family via GoFundMe.
With the goal to raise $4,000, Frohwerk said that this would all be used to cover at least two months of rent.
“The property manager that we are living under wouldn’t be willing to work with anything,” she said.
The Frohwerks moved to Cochrane in September, but Frohwerk said she is shocked to see all the support from community members willing to help a stranger in need.
“I don’t drive because of my back problems, so when my husband had his heart attack, of course he was in Calgary, so I asked anybody that was going out to Calgary if I could hitch a ride, and I had rides there that entire week, home and there. It’s extremely heartwarming,” she said.
Frohwerk said it is a very emotional time for their family, and the support they have received recently is nothing short of heartwarming.
“That’s not something we would normally put out there,” she said. “This is very out of the norm for us. We like to keep private just as many others would, so this is difficult for us all around.”
Frohwerk said she would like to give a special thanks to all the members of the community who helped support their family through their struggle.
“I can’t say how thankful I am for everybody who’s offered any support to us,” she said. “Whether it was the ride, meals for my kids, or the donations to the GoFundMe, it’s really amazing to see how generous people are.
“It’s no questions asked, they’re just so kind, and you wouldn’t find that anywhere else, so I really do appreciate that.”
Those looking to donate, Frohwerk said may do so by visiting gofund.me.
