The Hospital Told Denise Her Husband Was Going Home.

Richard was only 35 years old.
He was the youngest—and only African American—supervisor at his company. He had been named Employee of the Year, took enormous pride in his work, and was known for helping anyone who needed it.
After long shifts, he would still come home to grill for his family, help neighbors with projects, or volunteer at church. Denise remembers him as someone whose heart was “as big as his body.”
More than anything else…

He was her best friend.

“He knew my frustrations, my fears, my hurts, my worries… I shared all things with him because he was my everything.”
Together they were raising eight children, opening their home to foster children, and building a life they loved.

During the early days of COVID, the family became sick. At first, it seemed like they were finally turning a corner.
They cooked dinner together. The kids joked about whether Mom or Dad made the better gravy. They watched a movie together. For Denise, it finally felt like things were getting better. The next afternoon, Richard quietly texted her
from the bedroom.

Babe, can you come here?
When she walked in, he looked at her and said: “I can’t breathe.”

Denise helped Richard into the car and started driving. Suddenly, he stopped responding. He remained sitting upright. Tears rolled down his face. But he couldn’t speak. Panicked, Denise drove straight to the emergency room. When they arrived, Richard quietly apologized. “I could hear you. I just couldn’t respond.” Hospital staff took him inside. It was the last time Denise ever saw her husband.

Over the next several hours, Denise finally received encouraging updates.Doctors told her Richard was improving. His oxygen was being reduced. She was told he would likely be discharged and might simply need oxygen at home. Relieved, she started washing clothes so she’d have clean underwear ready when she picked him up. Then everything changed.

The hospital called. Richard had suddenly collapsed. His heart had stopped. He was now on life support. About thirty minutes later… The phone rang again. Richard was gone. He was 35 years old.

Nothing made sense.
Denise couldn’t stop thinking about the strange episodes Richard experienced before reaching the hospital—times when he appeared conscious, could hear her speaking, but couldn’t respond.
She later spoke with a critical care nurse in her family, who immediately suggested the symptoms sounded consistent with a blood clot. Denise couldn’t understand why those episodes hadn’t been recognized earlier. She paid for an independent autopsy herself because she needed answers. Then she began searching for a lawyer.

Like many people, Denise had never hired a lawyer before. She searched online and contacted a law firm. They initially accepted the case. Later, they told her their medical expert didn’t want to pursue it because of COVID. The case was dropped. Most people might have stopped there. Denise didn’t.

• Nothing ever could.
• No verdict.
• No settlement.
• No amount of money.

But it could help Denise build a future for her children. The case ultimately settled for $1 million. For Denise, the outcome wasn’t about becoming wealthy. It meant buying a safe home where every child had room to grow. It meant moving to a better school district.
It meant beginning plans for a family business that could provide long-term stability. It even meant welcoming another foster child into their home.

“All I cared about was finding a home for my children that they could be proud of… that they would feel safe in… and Buckfire got us just that.”