Street Survivors, after 15 great years of writing for the Simpsonville Sentinel, I will be shutting down my Street Survival Tactics column. You'll certainly understand my reason, as you continue to read.

On June 21st, just a few short weeks ago, my beautiful wife of 42 years, Debby suffered a stroke with no advanced warning other than the worst headache she'd ever had for about an hour before she lost consciousness, fell into our eldest daughter Shannon's arms, and into a coma.

Deb was rushed by ambulance to Spartanburg Regional where she remained in a coma for her entire 19-day treatment in ICU, which started with a 3-hour emergency brain surgery at midnight, the very same day she was brought in.

The medical staff was superb and with God's direction managed to stabilize Debby, wean her off the ventilator so she's breathing on her own, with a little extra oxygen added to boost her oxygen saturation levels. She battled fever and critically high blood pressure levels for some time after the surgery. Deb had a follow up double surgery to insert a trach and peg to allow better breathing and feeding, with less complications and risk of infection.

We left ICU on Day 19 with separation anxiety, as our medical team worked so hard day and night to give Debby every chance to come back to us.

We had applied to Shepherd's Center in Atlanta, a nationally known and highly respected trauma rehab center. God redirected us to Regency Hospital as a necessary steppingstone first. Regency moved from St. Francis in Greenville to the AnMed Hospital Complex in Anderson just a few months ago, as part of a larger expansion. The facility and staff are top notch and are focused on getting Debby conscious and mobile prior to going to Shepherds.

Despite my wife’s dedication to clean healthy eating, following a Vegan/Pescatarian diet for years, researching vitamins and mineral supplements, even writing a healthy lifestyle newsletter for her employer, she fell victim to this horrible injury.

Our constant prayer is for full 100% recovery and healing, and we have hundreds of people around the country praying for Debby and our family to continue the fight, with the energy, tools and support group to emerge victorious. Whether you're a prayer warrior or wondering if you even believe in God, please take a minute and pray for Debby and our family, we can't thank you enough. 

Over the decade and a half of writing this column, we've discussed defensive weapons from sling shots to automatic weapons, but the greatest weapon in the hands of humanity has always been prayer. 

A friend recently sent me a prayer that helped him during a battle with cancer, which I'd like to pass on to you, should you or someone you care about need these wise words. The author is unknown to me, but I have placed my hand on my wife and recited this prayer daily:

"Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law. Therefore, I forbid any sickness, or disease to come upon this body. Every disease, germ, and virus that touches this body dies instantly in the name of Jesus. Every organ and every tissue of this body, functions in the perfection to which God created it to function and I forbid any malfunction in this body in the name of Jesus!"  (Galatians 3:13, Romans 8:11, Genesis 1:30, Matthew 16:19)

Please continue to train, and boys hug your wives tight, and don't let go.

Big gratitude to Bob and Connie Gecy for allowing me to join this great endeavor, and share my unique brand of Patriotism: God, Family and Country. 

And thank you Street Survivors for reading, participating, and training to protect yourselves, your family and ultimately...our beloved U.S.A. You have been the driving force for this column to exist. Thank you.

Pirate Hunter signing off.

Rick ‘Pirate Hunter’ Grover strongly believes we are all in this together, and the more we learn and train, the better we will be prepared for any eventuality. This makes all of us part of an amazing neighborhood team of American Patriots. God Bless America!