## Support Tonja Barnes During Her Medical Crisis On September 8, 2026, Tonja Barnes underwent open-heart surgery. She returned home on September 14, but only five days later, she went to the emergency room with serious breathing problems. Tonja went into respiratory distress and respiratory failure and had to be placed on a ventilator. Tonja remains sedated in the ICU in Birmingham and dependent on the ventilator while her medical team works to stabilize her and treat pneumonia. Attempts to reduce her ventilator support have not yet been successful, and she has not awakened or shown that she can breathe independently. Her family is taking things hour by hour, holding on to hope and waiting for signs of improvement. Tonja also lives with COPD, which adds another layer of concern to an already very serious situation. Before this medical crisis, she worked as a gas-station cashier and supported herself and her son on a very limited income. She was already struggling financially and had experienced significant difficulty finding doctors and medical providers who would accept her insurance. Now, Tonja’s income has stopped while her housing costs, utilities, and other household expenses continue. We are worried about keeping her home secure and making sure her son has what he needs. When Tonja is able to leave the hospital, she may face a long recovery involving extensive follow-up care, rehabilitation, or placement in a skilled nursing facility. Unfortunately, finding appropriate care that accepts her insurance has already been extremely difficult. This page is being organized by Tonja’s sister, Donna, and Donna’s best friend, Niki. Donna and I have been best friends since 1997 and are more like sisters, which means Tonja is family to me, too. We created this page because we want to ease as much of the financial burden as possible so the family can focus on Tonja and take things one hour and one day at a time. Funds raised will help with Tonja’s housing, utilities, everyday household expenses, transportation for her family, medical needs, and any continuing care she may require. If you are able to donate, any amount will make a meaningful difference. If you cannot contribute financially, please consider sharing Tonja’s page. Most of all, please keep Tonja, her son, and their entire family in your thoughts as they face this frightening and uncertain time. Thank you for helping Tonja and her family feel a little less alone. —Donna and Niki
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