April 14, 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
Hingham resident Jim Bello, who has been in the Mass. General Hospital intensive care unit since March 13, is on the road to recovery, his wife, Kim, is happy to share today with their friends and other supporters.
Bello, 49, was one of the state's earliest-known coronavirus cases. Today was a major breakthrough when during his family's usual FaceTime session he spoke his first words since entering the hospital: "I love you."
Kim and their three children -- Hadley, Taylor, and Riley -- were overwhelmed with joy. "Two weeks ago I was told Jim wasn't going to make it. This is the first time he has been able to speak," Kim told the Hingham Anchor this afternoon. "He's still in the ICU and will be watched for another 24 hours and then moved to another floor."
That's not the only good news. The "Frontlines and Families" GoFundMe page created April 4 by Kim and a close friend, Karen Last Deane, has already received close to $40,000 in donations to benefit Jim's ICU medical team -- which his family refers to as "The Angels."
The goal was in part to have food delivered on a regular basis to the ICU nurses, doctors, other medical staff, and the people behind the scenes who play such an important role, including the custodians. The donations have already paid for lunches, dinners, and other essentials.
"Everyone in the ICU is putting their lives at risk to save the lives of others," Kim said. "We plan to continue the GoFundMe page. This virus will last a long time, and they will need our continuing support."
A $20,000 contribution to the MGH donation page was made earlier from other donors who are close to the Bello family, but moving forward, Kim would like the GoFundMe to directly benefit the ICU staff that has cared so compassionately for Bello over the past month as well as other MGH ICUs, and potentially other families who are struggling with a similar medical crisis.
"My eventual plan is for Jim to fully recover and to be able to go back to the ICU unit that saved his life, thank them himself, and ask them where they would like the donations to go," Kim said.
She said the GoFundMe fundraiser -- and the "Frontlines and Families" Facebook page she recently created to share stories and photos showing ICU staff enjoying the meals and other gifts from the community -- are ways for her to give back and to also keep busy. "I couldn't just sit in the hospital. This is a way for me and my kids to feel like we are participating in something. I've been very upfront with them, and we've had some hard days, but the ability to give back is huge. The saying, 'You get what you give' is so true."
The Facebook page also features a link to "CaringBridge," through which Kim makes daily "journal" updates about Jim's progress to keep friends and other supporters in the loop. "I was getting 200 text messages a day, and I couldn't field them all, so this is a good way to let people know how Jim is doing," Kim said. "He knows a lot of people!"
"CaringBridge" is a charitable 501 nonprofit organization established in 1997 that allows people facing various medical conditions and their family and friends to communicate.
In addition to GoFundMe donations, local restaurants and eateries have provided the ICU staff with food and other offerings (including Wahlburgers, Boloco restaurant, and the Press Juice Bar in Norwell). Kloth in Hingham donated 25 hooded sweatshirts for the nurses. Kim also expressed appreciation for the "meal train" friends set up earlier for her family.
We are sending love and continued strength to the entire Bello Family.
He is advertising that he and his family is now at Loon in NH. I hope he and family quarantined as required 14 Days. Especially if you are not going to respect stay at home orders for Mass.