Gerad Meteyer Foundation
On Labor Day 2007, Gerad Heath Meteyer suddenly and unexpectedly died as a result of a low blood sugar incident. He left behind two parents, two younger brothers, few material possessions, and countless friends.
Gerad, 34, was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes when he was nine years old. For most of his life he had difficulty living with his disease. Seizures, hospital stays, and missed school days became a part of life in the Meteyer household. His disease did not, however, keep him from staying physically active and pursuing higher education goals. After graduating from high school, he attended both Michigan State University and Marygrove College on his way toward earning a degree in child development in 2004. He hoped to soon be a teacher of young children. His hopes were cut short on September 3, 2007 when he passed away at home in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
One of the ways that Gerad learned to live with diabetes mellitus (also known as type-1 diabetes and juvenile diabetes) was by meeting other people who faced the same challenges. Gerad was fortunate enough to be able to attend Camp Midicha (mih-DIE-chuh), an American Diabetes Association (ADA) camp for children and teenagers diagnosed with type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Midicha helped him improve his diabetes self-management skills from experienced, professional medical staff. While there he also met lifelong friends with whom he had fun in a safe and supervised setting. Because of the skills that he developed and relationships he forged, Gerad later felt the need to give back to the camp that had given so much to him. As an adult he served at Midicha as a counselor, helping young campers face the challenges they confronted.
Gerad put tremendous effort into managing his disease. He put equal effort into sincerely getting to know those people whose paths he crossed. Gerad was a quiet listener, a gentle friend, and a generous giver. Since Gerad never married or had children of his own, it is up to those who knew him best to carry out the legacy of his life.
One of the ways in which we are honoring Gerad�s life is by establishing a foundation in his name. The foundation will provide scholarships to send underprivileged diabetic children to Camp Midicha. We believe that, had Gerad been given the chance, he would have relished knowing that in a way, he helped to send needy children to Midicha for many years to come. Please see the donate page to learn how you can contribute to this mission.
Thank you for visiting our website and please don't forget to sign the guestbook!
Gerad, 34, was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes when he was nine years old. For most of his life he had difficulty living with his disease. Seizures, hospital stays, and missed school days became a part of life in the Meteyer household. His disease did not, however, keep him from staying physically active and pursuing higher education goals. After graduating from high school, he attended both Michigan State University and Marygrove College on his way toward earning a degree in child development in 2004. He hoped to soon be a teacher of young children. His hopes were cut short on September 3, 2007 when he passed away at home in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
One of the ways that Gerad learned to live with diabetes mellitus (also known as type-1 diabetes and juvenile diabetes) was by meeting other people who faced the same challenges. Gerad was fortunate enough to be able to attend Camp Midicha (mih-DIE-chuh), an American Diabetes Association (ADA) camp for children and teenagers diagnosed with type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Midicha helped him improve his diabetes self-management skills from experienced, professional medical staff. While there he also met lifelong friends with whom he had fun in a safe and supervised setting. Because of the skills that he developed and relationships he forged, Gerad later felt the need to give back to the camp that had given so much to him. As an adult he served at Midicha as a counselor, helping young campers face the challenges they confronted.
Gerad put tremendous effort into managing his disease. He put equal effort into sincerely getting to know those people whose paths he crossed. Gerad was a quiet listener, a gentle friend, and a generous giver. Since Gerad never married or had children of his own, it is up to those who knew him best to carry out the legacy of his life.
One of the ways in which we are honoring Gerad�s life is by establishing a foundation in his name. The foundation will provide scholarships to send underprivileged diabetic children to Camp Midicha. We believe that, had Gerad been given the chance, he would have relished knowing that in a way, he helped to send needy children to Midicha for many years to come. Please see the donate page to learn how you can contribute to this mission.
Thank you for visiting our website and please don't forget to sign the guestbook!