I never imagined that I would have to write these words, that I would ever face a day that would shake the very foundation of our lives. Just recently, our family was planning our future, sharing laughter and quiet moments with our children. But all of that changed in an instant. October 9, 2025 — a date forever etched in my memory — is the day our world collapsed.
My husband, Maciej Stadnik, was involved in a tragic accident. When the call came, fear gripped me like a vice, but the reality was even more terrifying. Maciej was hospitalized in Opole in critical condition. The doctors’ words felt like a death sentence: multiple fractures to the skull and base of the skull, severe trauma to the very center of his being. In that moment, I felt the ground fall away beneath us, leaving our family teetering on the edge of despair.
For five excruciating weeks, I remained by his bedside, listening to the rhythm of the machines that kept him alive. Three of those weeks were spent with him in a medically induced coma, a cruel limbo where time lost all meaning. It was a period dominated by fear, prayer, and desperate pleas that fate would not rob our children of their father. Maciej underwent complex, life-saving surgery — an operation that brought him back from the brink — but it was only the first step in a long and agonizing road to recovery.
Today, Maciej is awake and present with us, but the battle is far from over. He remains in the neurological ward in Przemyśl, a hospital room filled with monitors, therapy equipment, and the quiet hum of hope interspersed with anxiety. The consequences of the accident are profound. Though he has survived, his path to regaining independence, mobility, and full cognitive function demands immediate, intensive, and often painful rehabilitation. Every movement, every exercise, every therapy session is a battle against the limitations that this cruel accident has imposed.
Doctors are clear: the first weeks and months after such head injuries are critical. Time is not a luxury we can afford. If we delay, Maciej may never fully recover. He could remain a prisoner within his own body, dependent on others for even the simplest acts of daily life. Every moment we wait is a chance lost, and with each passing day, the urgency intensifies.
The reality we face is compounded by financial strain. Rehabilitation centers are costly, with expenses far beyond what our family can bear. While the National Health Fund (NFZ) offers some support, it is only a small fraction of what is truly needed. Waiting in line for months is not an option — Maciej’s health and future hang in the balance.
And so, I swallow my pride and ask for help. This is more than a fight for my husband. It is a fight for our children — for their father to be able to hug them again, to walk alongside them, to answer their questions, to be a presence in their lives that no machine or therapy can ever replace. Every donation is not just a contribution; it is a lifeline, a chance for Maciej to reclaim the life that accident tried to steal from him. Every share of our appeal is a chance to reach someone willing to lend a helping hand.
Maciej’s story is a reminder of the fragility of life and the strength of the human spirit. It is a plea for compassion, for solidarity, and for the belief that even in the darkest of times, hope can prevail. We do not ask for miracles; we ask for the support necessary to give a husband, father, and son a real chance to walk, to speak, and to live independently once more.
To every person reading this: your help matters. Each złoty, each gesture, each share brings us closer to giving Maciej the future he deserves — a future where he can hold his children, laugh with them, and continue to be the man we all love so dearly. With your support, we can fight for his recovery, step by p
