JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- All her life, Monroe Tanner has been vivacious, energetic and as spunky as they come.
That suddenly changed in 2005 when she had a heart attack at her son's game.
"I take her to all the doctor appointments and listen to what the doctors say. All of them, they pretty much say, 'this is more complicated than we're used to dealing with,'" said Monroe's husband David.
When we met Monroe, it was clear she was in bad shape and couldn't give much of an interview. Since the first medical emergency, she's had numerous heart attacks, surgeries, and is currently relying on an artificial heart.
"I'm trying to find suitable employment. I've been trying to do college at the same time. It's just become really difficult," David continued.
"I knew we had to do something and I knew it had to be done quickly," Lisa Pappas with the Allied Veterans Center said.
The Allied Veterans Center teamed up with a local doctor to secure care for Monroe at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, which is known for successful heart transplants.
Services will be free through the couple's insurance. All they need now is airfare.
In the meantime, Monroe is staying positive and sticking to her goals of seeing her boys graduate high school and getting back to the woman she once was.
David has the same wish.
"Monroe, the Type A busybody personality that has taken charge of everything and had some zeal to make sure everything gets done, and take a vacation," he said.
The Tanner's health scares aren't limited to Monroe. Her youngest son is also battling a brain tumor.
If you'd like to help, you can donate to Vystar account #702975358. It's been set up on Monroe's behalf. For more information, you can call the
Allied Veterans Center at (904) 723-5950.
