On November 1, 1993, Westside News published a story about Spencerport resident Dan Hinman and how local communities rallied around a resident in need. “Dan’s Van Day” was organized as a fundraiser to raise money to purchase a lift-equipped van for Dan who had multiple sclerosis, was legally blind and could no longer walk. Dan, his wife Marsha and their five children Jonathan, Julie, Joshua, Jamey and Jody were in need and the community responded and purchased a van for this family.
The Hinman family home was known in the community as an oasis for young people in need. They started a youth group called “Maranatha” meaning “Jesus Christ, come quickly.” Maranatha drew up to 50 to 60 young people a week to the Hinman home. Many lives were touched by the Hinmans.
Unfortunately, Dan Hinman passed away as a result of his disease at the young age of 50. Now, his daughter, Jody, is suffering from multiple sclerosis and she and her family have fallen on hard times. The following is a request received from Jody’s close friend, Michelle Sims, with a plea for help:
“More than 20 years ago, Jody Hinman and I were on a mission to improve the lives of orphaned children in the country of Romania. Honestly, I don’t even remember how our paths initially crossed other than she learned of my work in the city of Oradea, while she was five hours away in the city of Targru Mures. Jody’s zeal for life was infectious and matched my own thus birthing a permanent friendship. I think it was her first night with me that she shared she had been diagnosed with MS and the heartbreaking story of her dad’s early death when he was only 50 years old from the same disease. Her dad, Dan Hinman, was supported by the community through a fundraiser called, ‘Dan’s Van Day’ to purchase a conversion van for the family, after he became wheelchair bound. And, even though she was symptom free at the time, she was optimistic about her future health.
I saw Jody again in Romania the following year very soon after I married my husband, Daniel. This time, she had her boyfriend, Rob McRonald, with her to show him where her passion to serve The Lord was. Rob is from the beautiful island of Bermuda and, after they married, they resided in Bermuda and began their family.
When Jody’s health began to deteriorate, Rob began discussing whether or not leaving their paradise location might be better for Jody, especially since her family was already well versed in dealing with Multiple Sclerosis from her father. After securing a job with CooperVision, the McRonald family relocated to Rochester, New York.
Rob then decided they needed to be much closer to her family to help with the children and Jody’s care so he worked hard to update and sell their home in Rochester. They lived in limbo for a few months with family while searching for a house close to her mother and siblings. They finally found the perfect house and joyfully moved in at the first of November. Without complaining, he continued working two jobs and began talking of trying to start a third job selling items on the internet. But he was unable to get that business up and running.
On Friday, November 20th, at the age of 49, Rob suffered a massive heart attack in their new home. With all praise to God, his mother was visiting from Bermuda and not yet asleep when she heard a terrible noise and went to investigate and found him writhing on the floor. He was rushed to the hospital and coded three times that night. After being put on life support, the chances of survival looked bleak but we all called on the name of Jesus to rescue the man that was a husband, son, brother, cousin, and friend and God heard our cries. After much skilled medical intervention, on Saturday, December 5th, Rob awoke from his slumber. He understands that he will need to consent and make the commitment to have an LVAD operate on his heart and the arduous journey of trying to come back physically from what has happened.
But I don’t want to stop at the medical miracle. I don’t want to stop until there is a financial miracle. I want to pay off the entire mortgage of the home they just bought so the stress of having a roof over their heads goes away and they can just worry about care. And I want to pay it off by Christmas. The incredibly generous supporters through Facebook have donated over $40,000 but we need another $210,000. That seems like such an astronomical amount but it isn’t when many people give. I believe in the power of compassionate people who give together when they hear of such suffering. Because my brother Rob shares this same passion for caring and reaching out to help others, I hope many who do not know him will reach out and help his family.
“If anyone is willing to give, they can go to our fundraiser at Children In The Son on our Facebook page, go to our website at www.childrenintheson.com and click on donate, or simply put a check in the mail to Children In The Son, P.O. Box 99063, Raleigh, NC 27624-9063. If you prefer to give directly to the family, please contact Jamey Hinman at jjhimman@gmail.com.”
Respectfully submitted,
Michelle Sims, MSW
