MARQUETTE — The community will have a chance to come together on Sunday to raise stroke awareness while supporting Zac DeForge, a 26-year-old stroke survivor from Atlantic Mine.

The fundraising event, which will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Masonic Temple along West Washington Street in Marquette, will feature a spaghetti dinner and raffles to support DeForge as he recovers and faces significant medical expenses, organizers said.

“When the Marquette community comes together I think great things can happen,” said Laura Wall, event coordinator.

Community support is needed, organizers said, as DeForge’s medical insurance didn’t take effect until around two months after he suffered his stroke, leaving him with around $50,000 in medical bills from hospital stays and rehab, as well as intensive speech and physical therapy.

The stroke, which occurred Aug. 28 after DeForge drove roughly 5.5 hours to stand in a friend’s wedding, was recognized by DeForge’s girlfriend when he stopped at her house along the way, Wall said.

Wall credits DeForge’s girlfriend for her quick action and recognizing the signs of a stroke, noting that the event will also serve to raise awareness of strokes and their symptoms, as recognizing a stroke quickly is critical.

“It’s really important to know the signs of a stroke, know when to call 911,” she said.

The night of the incident, DeForge was rushed to the hospital where it was confirmed that he suffered a stroke in the left hemisphere of his brain, Wall said.

Since then, DeForge has been making strides toward recovery at Portage Rehab & Sports Medicine, Wall said.

“He is very focused on getting better, he wants to get back to work, get back to his daily routine, so he’s working really hard,” Wall said.

Wall said DeForge will be present at Sunday’s event and noted that beyond attending the fundraiser, the community can help DeForge by simply reaching out and showing support with messages, notes or letters.

“He’s away from his friends and I think really just having people reach out to him and be a friend to him will help,” she said.

Overall, they are happy to see so many people reaching out and showing their support for DeForge’s recovery, she said.

“It’s been really sad and Zac didn’t deserve any of that, but he does deserve all the love and support that he’s getting now,” Wall said. “I’ve had so many community members approach me asking how they could help, what they could donate, how they could volunteer at the event — so many people are reaching out.”

Even with the event quickly approaching, Wall said offers of help and donations are still welcomed and appreciated.

There is also a GoFundMe page for DeForge’s medical expenses, Wall said, which has a goal of raising $10,000 over the next several months. A previous GoFundMe setup for DeForge raised around $10,000 before its time limit ran out, Wall said.

Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12, Wall said. The event is cash only and credit cards cannot be accepted, she said. There will also be donation buckets, bucket raffles and 50/50 mystery envelope raffles to be held throughout the night. Those who wish to donate can contact Wall at 906-281-4466 or laurawall89@gmail.com, she said.

DeForge’s GoFundMe can be found at www.gofundme.com/zac-deforge .

For more information on the event, visit www.facebook.com/events/615827495479752/ .

For more information on strokes and how to recognize them, visit www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Stroke-Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp .

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is cbrown@miningjournal.net.