Chris Grubisa

Chris Grubisa is a thirty-two year-old journeyman with IBEW local 1579 in Blythe, Georgia. He is a long-term employee of Marko Electric, and his wife Amber is a stay at home mom to their three children ages eight, five and three. On Monday, October 23, 2017 Chris complained about joint pain in his left arm, and it progressed to the point that he could not use it properly. He assumed it was a gym injury. By 10:30 PM that evening, he had a fever and chills, and assumed he was getting the flu. By the next morning, the situation had progressed to the point where Chris decided he should go to the ER

Doctors informed the family that Chris might not make it through the night. His official diagnosis was a form of meningitis, specifically Meningococcal Neisseria with septicemia. It is a rare but serious bacterial infection that causes the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord to become inflamed. Chris developed a rash known as purpura, which caused second, third, and fourth degree burns to 80-90% of his body. Doctors put him on medications that constricted his blood vessels in an attempt to keep his blood pressure up. The restricted blood flow to his extremities resulted in amputations of both arms and both legs. Chris spent more than 120 days in the ICU, enduring twenty-one surgeries in the process.

The fact that Christopher is still alive is nothing short of a miracle. He was on a ventilator, and 100% dialysis after his kidneys completely failed. He was required to have a feeding tube for months, while undergoing skin graft surgeries to replace the skin burned off by the purpura. For months, Chris had physical and occupational therapy at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, learning to use his body again. He returned home in May, 2018 to begin life in his new normal. One of the adjustments of this new normal includes moving into a handicapped accessible home, which was an effort spearheaded by the Burke County Sheriff’s office. Thus far, they have raised about $67,000 toward the initiative. Meanwhile, the family sought a wheelchair solution for a vehicle to transport Chris. His family learned about The Joseph Groh Foundation through The Walton Rehab Foundation and the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation. They requested a wheelchair lift from Adaptive Driving Solutions, an expense they could not afford given the loss of Chris’s income coupled with the overwhelming medical expenses.

After receiving the lift, Nick Grubisa, Chris’s father said, “Thank you for your generosity, this means a lot to us. This is simply wonderful.” Chris and his family have a long road ahead of them, but he has touched many lives through his unbelievable experience. His fight, strength, determination, endurance and his faith are lessons for all of us.