Kids & Family

GoFundMe Thursday: Help Morgan's Family Pay For Her Hospital Bills

On May 12, 2013, 17-year-old Needham resident Morgan Brittain overdosed on heroin after two months of thriving in an inpatient treatment center. Her family is hoping to raise money for her bills and long term care.

According to Morgan’s step-mother, Karen Sullivan Bertolet, Morgan knew she had a problem and was working hard to overcome it. However, she decided she wanted to get high "one last time." All it took was a few texts, and she got her hands on some heroin. Her tolerance low due to her two months being clean and sober, and she suffered a cardiac arrest. Morgan was found with barely any pulse and she had aspirated. The lack of oxygen to her brain caused massive brain damage on top of the damage caused by smoking heroin.

“Morgan faces a long, long road to recovery and extended rehabilitation and physical therapy,” Bertolet said.

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Morgan has been in the Pediatric ICU and had a tracheotomy and feeding tube. She was transfered to a new facility in Oregon for rehabilitation and therapy. After several months, she got the influenza virus and ended up back in the hospital in the ICU.

“All of this is going to cost a lot of money, that we just don't have,” Bertolet said. “I never thought I'd have to ask for donations to care for my daughter but here we are. The donations will go toward her hospital bills, rehabilitation and long term care. If there is any money left it will be donated to treatment for other addicts who are suffering and needing help.”

Find out what's happening in Needhamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The goal is $20,000. So far, $12,970 has been raised. To donate, visit http://www.gofundme.com/34290g.


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