GoFundMe Started For McNair Elementary Teacher Recovering From Stroke

GERMANTOWN, MD — Channing Newman, a fourth-grade teacher at Dr. Ronald McNair Elementary School in Germantown, is currently receiving physical and occupational therapy as part of the his recovery from stroke that occurred on Jan. 6.

"They were able to stabilize him which took about five days and then he was moved to an inpatient rehabilitation hospital because he is paralyzed on his right side," his wife Kim Newman said, on the GoFundMe page she launched on Tuesday. "He has made progress but will not be able to return to work for a while."

Channing Newman usually works by teaching summer school, and Kim launched the GoFundMe campaign to ensure that they wouldn't have any financial concerns while he wasn't working.

"I am hoping and praying to help him be able to recover, heal, and continue working on his therapy. PT and OT," she said, in her post. "He is such a wonderful teacher, mentor, husband, dad, and friend to many. I want one less worry for him while he takes his time to heal. He is such a fighter and I know he will overcome this obstacle!"

Donate: Donations can be made to Channing Newman’s recovery from a stroke GoFundMe page.

By 4 p.m. on Friday, the campaign had already exceeded its original goal of $3,000, raised $3,310 from 53 donors.

Channing Newman has been a teacher at McNair for 22 years and his wife told Patch that he loves his job. He still can't use his right hand or ankle/foot and his return to school all depends on his recovery.

"His school has been amazing," Kim Channing said. "His former students and current students made him cards. He started a morning club called Life Zone to help boys and girls that need mentoring and maybe don't have both parents. It has grown and he teaches them about overcoming obstacles and working hard."

Kim Newman passed on the following message of thanks to those who have donated to the campaign and the students who have sent their support to her husband:

"Life is precious and throughout our journey in life we experience things that really makes us reflect on what is really important in life. It is always important to treat others with kindness. When you face things in life, remember what I told my students to trust the process! Because it is not the beginning or the end but what happens in the middle that makes you a stronger person. Be the reason someone smiles everyday!"

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