SARGENT, Neb.— Last July, Holly Bowers suffered a pulmonary embolism, causing a stroke that led her to being declared brain dead. What happened after that is nothing short of amazing.
“She was an organ donor, so they flew her to Omaha to donate her organs,” said Jennifer Martindale, a friend of Bowers. “When they pulled the breathing tube she didn’t pass and she has been fighting ever since.”
The journey for Bowers has had her receiving care in Omaha, Kearney, and a nursing home in Ord over the last eight months. This week, she moved home to be with her mom in Dunning.
Martindale says Bowers is getting better every day, and that she has come a long way from where she started. She has relearned to walk to the point of using a cane and her memory is great.
“I actually told Holly last week, ‘If I didn’t live this story, I don’t know if I would believe it if somebody told me’,” said Martindale.
Martindale and many other friends of Bowers have organized a muti-faceted fundraiser in Sargent on Saturday to help Bowers with the costs associated with recovery and making her home fit her needs.
Promoted with posters sporting pool balls and cues, a nod to Bowers’ skill around a pool table, the day starts at noon with a pool tournament at The Rescue Bar & Grill in Sargent. At the same time catty-corner across main street, a silent auction begins at noon at the Community Center with a cornhole tournament. A free will offering dinner is set for 5 PM ahead of a live auction and a dance with the band Lost County Road at 8 PM.
Organizers are excited to see the event not only be a way to support their friend, but to also celebrate how far she has come.
Auction items can be accepted all the way until the day of the event by dropping them off at the Community Center that morning. A full schedule, organizer contact information, and photos of auction items can be found on the event’s Facebook page here.
