On August 7 at Fiddler´s Irish Pub, an event ocurred that marked the end of months of work and a lot of generosity by a lot of people, representing one of the most beautiful moments of my 2019.
My colleagues and my friends got together while I was still in Intensive Care at the hospital, foreseeing something that I was not yet able to see for myself – the long and expensive recovery I had ahead.
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Friends and colleagues as good as gold
They talked about my needs at the moment, from the logistics of my future treatments, to where I’d live with my mom during her 3 month stay in Chile, to how to help me pay for the medical bills that would continue to add up.
That is how the raffle that collected more than 70 prizes started. That is how the event that left me dumbfounded by the generosity of the people around me started. That is how the activity that raised $13,000 USD in order to help me pay for my 2 weeks in intensive care, 5 months of oxygen chamber, 4 months of regenerative treatments and the future surgeries that await … all started.
I may say thank you, but that doesn’t even begin to represent my gratefulness.
This amazing video that captures the beauty of the night, thanks to Francisco Palacios Reyes from D85 Studio
There are no words that really can do justice to how I feel, but I need to express my appreciation to everyone who participated in the raffle – those who collaborated in its organization, those who donated prizes, those who sold tickets and bought tickets, and those who sent money and donated to my recovery expecting nothing in return.
Your empathy, your generosity of time, energy and money, your support… it all motivates me to not just heal myself physically and emotionally so that all your support was worth it, but also to be able to give back that light and positivity to the world.
When I think about everything that has happened since March 6, it would be easy to get stuck in what’s been difficult, painful, dissappointing, or what hasn’t gone right, but with all the love and kindness I’ve seen and received, it has been impossible to get lost in frustration. All of you have been a constant reminder of the most beautiful parts of humanity, which has helped me consistently switch perspectives in difficult times.
”Your empathy, your generosity of time, energy and money, your support… it all motivates me to not just heal myself physically and emotionally so that all your support was worth it, but also to be able to give back that light and positivity to the world.
Chelsey Berg
At one moment, I looked at all the people in the bar, and saw the pot filled with numbers, and thought … how are all these people here, supporting me? How can I be sad, when I have so many people sending me light? How can I doubt my recovery or future, when I’d only be disappointing all these people that have faith on me?
The night of the raffle came and went so quickly, as I made my rounds trying to talk to everyone and thank them for coming. At one moment a unique but powerful thought crossed through my head … I feel so normal. In that moment I also realized that, if there I was, with my necrotic fingers curled in 90 degrees, totally bandaged and unfunctional, and I could feel so normal, then I could also feel that way when those fingers are no longer there.
It may sound silly to all of you, but thank you for reinforcing the reminder that, even though I feel totally different, that is simply something that I must internally work on because, externally, to the world, I’m the same Chelsey as always.
You all make me want to push the limits of who I am, to be the best person I can possibly be and hopefully impact as positively in the lives of others as you have on mine.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
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