back of a moving pickup and hit his head. After two weeks of not feeling right and complaining of a headache, Stephen collapsed in his yard. Around five years ago, Graham-Dustin 2002 graduate and former Henryetta resident, Stephen McAuliff fell out of the that has been caused to his head has caused MRSA to reappear.

This week, Stephen returned to St. Francis once again with another infection and for another brain surgery after being hit in the head by a car trunk lid.

His mother, Tammy Coleman and sister, Stephanie Spears, reported that the surgery went as well as possible and the infection didn’t reach his skull or brain. The infection was in the soft tissue around the skull so doctors didn’t have to remove any more bone.

Stephen will once again have a PICC line inserted and it’s possible he will be able to return home today-Oct. 19. Once released, doctors will require him to be at home for six weeks while the antibiotics run their course.

After each surgery, Stephen has returned home without any protection over his brain.

After the next six weeks of antibiotics, Stephen will return to St. Francis where he will be examined by doctors who will determine if it’s clear for him to receive the prosthetic.

He was then rushed by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa where multiple tests were run.

Stephen was diagnosed with a MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infection on his brain. MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to most commonly used antibiotics.

Doctors performed brain surgery and a portion of his skull was removed to allow for healing.

After remaining in ICU at St. Francis for a month, he was able to come home with a PICC (Peripheral Inserted Central Catheter) with antibiotics.

Other than the layer of skin, his brain was and has been exposed for the past four years.

Shortly after his return home, Stephen returned to work as a forklift operator. While on the job, he hit his head and had to return back to intensive care for another month.

In Stephen’s case, any trauma

Tammy said that Stephen has tried to get disability and been denied and has also sought many jobs which won’t hire him due to his condition.

A GoFundMe acount has been created in order to help with the immensely increasing costs of treatment and travel and also for Stephen to be able to finally receive an Alloplastic Prosthetic Implant, or a skull cap, that he desperately needs. The current goal is to raise $10,000, however, many more donations are greatly needed. Donations can be made by visiting: GoFundMe.com and searching for “Stephen’s Cap” in Okmulgee and also via PayPal at: paypal.me/stephenmcauliff.

A current Okmulgee resident, Stephen is unable to work and has no medical insurance, which causes bills to pile up.

And without the skull cap, Stephen and his family fears that he may hit his head and cause another infection, or an even worse injury to his brain.

A loving, generous, gentle and carefree spirit, Stephen will do anything for anyone, putting others before himself, Tammy said.

Stephen loves sports (especially the Steelers), animals of all kinds, fishing and spending time with his family and with children. While on his family farm, he loves to feed the all the animals, including the chickens, horses and dogs.

“Living without a skull isn’t just a lower quality of life, it’s nearly a death sentence. Please help Stephen, my brother and one of the kindest men I’ve ever met, not to have to live without protection of our most vital organ,” Stephanie said.

Stephen’s family members who also live in Okmulgee include: his mom and step-dad, Tammy and Larry Coleman; his younger brother and family, Sean McAuliff and wife Kimberly and their daughters Ireland and Delilah; his fiance, Kimberly Connely. His sister Stephanie currently lives in New Mexico with her husband Daaron Spears.

You can help Stephen now by making any donation, even a small $5 donation, so he can receive the skull cap and the treatment he desperately needs to keep him safe and alive.

“I do things - whether it’s donations or events for good causes or giving back to my community - for the right reason: because I want to. Because it’s the best thing to do. I want to help someone else out,” from a quote by LaSean McCoy.