Vail Valley Charitable Fund: A beacon of light in the darkness

I am a longtime local who hopes to share a story of gratitude for how the Vail Valley Charitable Fund helped my wife and me this year.

I arrived in the Vail Valley in 1982 to meet up with my three siblings, who had already made this amazing valley their home. We were all drawn here for the skiing after growing up skiing in upstate New York. Once I arrived, my time was consumed with skiing, working in various local restaurants, and enjoying all things water-related including summers rafting on the rivers, and sailing on Lake Dillon and Green Mountain Reservoir. 

One evening 23 years ago while enjoying the festivities at Bob’s place in Avon, I met a beautiful young lady named Cindy from New Zealand. She became my wife five years later and has worked for Vail Resorts for many years until recently. We have created a wonderful life here together, immersing ourselves personally and professionally into the valley, and have loved every minute of it. 

Then, out of nowhere, our lives changed in a very drastic and sudden manner. In February 2023, both my wife and I unfortunately were greeted with a variety of unexpected medical issues. Cindy underwent a successful liver transplant in Denver and afterward experienced ongoing complications, resulting in hospitalization during her recovery.

At that very same time, unfortunately, I started having discomfort and pain in my feet, resulting in a very severe infection which necessitated several trips and unexpected visits to medical professionals in Denver, which resulted in hospitalizations and procedures. We continue to get regular care both here locally and in Denver when necessary, however, we are happy to report that our health continues to improve every single day. 

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Uncertain of the time associated with our recovery, combined with zero household income, I quickly turned to the Vail Valley Charitable Fund to ask for help — and help they did! Their guidance and unwavering kindness were a blessing to our family. We are eternally grateful to this organization that went above and beyond to help us and continues to make a huge difference in the lives of many locals who need it most.

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We have always felt blessed to live here in this wonderful community. In times like these when you face adversity, knowing there is somewhere to turn for support is truly comforting. 

Thank you, Vail Valley Charitable Fund.

John Barry is a Vail Valley Charitable Fund grant recipient. Find out more about the VVCF’s mission at VVCF.org.