"Strong Buffalo" Ladies T-Shirt

The Rak family has endured unimaginable hardship. What began as an emergency gallbladder removal for Paul in 2024 turned into a life-threatening battle—sepsis, organ failure, and the loss of both his spleen and the majority of his pancreas. He spent months in and out of the ICU and hospital, fighting to recover, while his wife, Nicole, and their children faced the devastation of his absence, uncertain of what the future would hold.

Paul is a devoted husband and loving father who has always put his family first. His greatest joy is being there for his five children, providing for them, and sharing in their lives. Now home, he remains too weak to return to work and is facing the challenges of managing a new diabetes diagnosis due to the removal of most of his pancreas. His road to recovery is far from over—he requires frequent doctor’s visits, ongoing medical care, and now faces yet another hurdle: another surgery on the horizon.

As the family’s sole provider, his inability to work led to the loss of their health insurance, leaving them with mounting medical bills and overwhelming financial strain. Now that Paul is home, Nicole has been able to return to work part-time while balancing her role as his caregiver and a mom to her children. But they still need our help. This campaign will provide much-needed relief as they navigate medical expenses, daily living costs, and caring for their children.

Please consider supporting this local family in their time of urgent need. Your generosity can make a real difference in their journey toward healing and stability. 

Joel Menter is a father, tattooer and illustrator from Buffalo, NY.  He co-owns Stay Weird Tattoo and has probably tattooed someone you know.  Because he is an obsessive compulsive collector of music Joel has also created many posters, album covers and logos for musicians around the world.  He loves his family, his hometown and hockey!