GoFundMe page set up for local man in ICU battling COVID-19

“ Paul has just the kindest heart. He is really hardworking. He is so talented at everything that he does. He is always the first to give you a hand and that is why I needed to do this for him,” Duke said.

During the salon shutdowns, Hemsing founded The Angel Beauty Project. The initiative solicited donations that went to support people in the industry who were struggling financially during the shutdowns. He also advocated regularly for the industry, and hosted a Facebook live piano recital to help lift people’s spirits during the shutdowns.

“He has always felt like he has got to help people and I just feel like we have got to help him now,” she said.

According to Duke, Hemsing began to feel ill a week before last. She was on call at the hospital when Hemsing phoned after getting advice from a health nurse to go to the hospital. Hemsing was admitted and discharged the next day, but his condition kept deteriorating.

“He had a lot of symptoms, and he just kept getting weaker and weaker. At one point his temperature was 104 degrees, he was hallucinating,” she said.

Hemsing was admitted to hospital once again on Tuesday and within a couple of hours of ICU admission he was intubated, and put on a ventilator, according to Duke.

Since then, doctors have been able to wean him off some of the oxygen. But this morning, according to Duke, Hemsing took a turn for the worst and is back on the ventilator.

Throughout the pandemic, Duke said Hemsing took all the precautions. The new salon inside his home was always kept immaculately clean. PPE was required for himself and anyone entering the salon. He even purchased an air filtering system, as an extra measure. According to a social media post, written by his partner Michael, both Hemsing and his partner received the first dose of the vaccine five weeks prior.

Duke said the diagnosis is just another addition to what has been a very difficult year for the family. His salon has been shut down for five months, and to makes ends meet, Hemsing and his partner Michael have had to resort to working at a local greenhouse.

Still, since Hemsing fell ill, the community has come out in droves to support him.

” The response has been amazing, all of his friends, family, the community, they really came together for him,” Duke said.

Over $33,000 has been raised so far. A link to the GoFundMe page can be found here.

by Tiffany Goodwein

GoFundMe page set up for local man in ICU battling COVID-19

Our Community