Body

 

RED OAK – Back in 2020, I wrote an article about Red Oak resident Lucas Cates.

He was as healthy 6'2", 250-pound, 39-year-old man at the time.

That changed when Cates discovered he had COVID-19.

He spent 24 days in two different hospitals and came out with not only a COVID-19 diagnosis, but also congestive heart failure with a defibrillator/pacemaker implanted

Cates is back in the hospital again with a heart that is only working at 12%.

He now needs a heart transplant to survive.

Until a heart becomes available, he needs a LVAD implanted, which also requires open heart surgery.

He has started a GoFundMe at https://gofund.me/31abc3908 to raise the money needed to help pay for medical bills that insurance does not cover and to help his keep his health insurance to qualify for a new heart, and other bills.