Andy Snook, 13, was camping with a friend’s family last summer in Summerfield Township when he went for a swim in a small lake at a campground.
The boy went underwater, and a deputy form the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office had to pull him out. Snook had been underwater for a substantial amount of time, but was able to be resuscitated.
However, he has never regained consciousness.
The teen’s mother, Heather Snook, hasn’t been home to their Wixom house in seven months, as she travels from hospital to hospital while doctors try their best to revive him.
Read: Video of father’s emotional plea for prayers goes viral after son’s near-drowning in Monroe County
The boy’s father, Dave Snook, still has to earn a living, so the Snook family has been apart for more than half a year.
“Unfortunately, he’s not progressing to the point the doctors would like him to be,” Heather Snook said.
Doctors say it’s time for Andy Snook to head home. The problem is that they can’t find any in-home nursing care.
“It has been since October that my case manager has been trying very hard to get us nursing care,” Heather Snook said.
The nursing shortage plaguing hospitals and doctor’s offices is tangible for the Snooks. Taking care of Andy Snook is a two-person job.
Heather Snook says she needs help four days a week while her husband is working. So far, that help has been impossible to find.
Since Andy’s incident, the Snook family has posted a daily update on social media.
As they look for anything to be optimistic about during this situation, they refer to little rays of hope as mustard seeds. It has been a while since a mustard seed has presented itself. Finally finding nursing help would certainly qualify as a whole bunch of mustard seeds.
“If I think about the future, I tend to spiral out of control,” Heather Snook said. “My feelings and emotions tend to get the best of me, so basically, it’s one day at a time.”
