Couple struggles with West Nile Virus diagnosis and medical bills

Local couple, Vanessa and Rudy, struggle to pay medical bills after he was diagnosed with West Nile Virus from an infected mosquito. /Facebook photo.

FRONT ROYAL – West Nile virus. It’s one of those things that Front Royal residents know about, but don’t spend to much time thinking about. After all, we live four hours from the ocean and we don’t need to be concerned, right? Wrong.

Over two weeks ago, Vanessa Villanueva’s boyfriend, Rudy was diagnosed with West Nile virus from a mosquito bite—a bite he got while living in the town. Vanessa said in a Sunday evening interview that she and Rudy, who are both from California, had not been out of the state for several years and Rudy could not have contracted the bite anywhere other than locally. The couple moved here in 2011 and have both held jobs in the community, she with the Melting Pot and he with Jackson Furniture Company.

Rudy was diagnosed with West Nile over two weeks ago, and has been has been hospitalized at Winchester Medical Center in Frederick County, in grave condition. Though his condition has stabilized, Rudy’s doctors say he faces a significant recovery period.

In n effort to help defray some of the couple’s expenses, The Melting Pot, Vanessa’s employer, will host a corn hole tournament Monday, Oct. 23 in the backyard behind the Melting Pot from 2- 6 p.m.

Entries are $10 per person. Teams will be randomly drawn at 2:30. Tournament will start around 2:45. It will be a double elimination tournament. Prizes will include Melting Pot apparel and gift cards. 50/50 raffles will also be available. Drawings for prizes will be from 4:15–4:30 pm.

Melting Pot co-owner and manager Elliot Bachelor said the Bachelor family would match the amount raised during Monday’s event. He also said that anyone who couldn’t attend Monday’s corn hole tournament could drop off monetary donations at the restaurant during its open hours. He said the restaurant’s staff is like one big family and everyone at Melting Pot wanted to help Vanessa and Rudy.

Vanessa said she was worried about Rudy, and what he had already endured, health-wise. Her boyfriend, she said, is a colon cancer survivor, and now, after a diagnosis of West Nile Virus and a two-week stay in the Critical Care unit, Rudy will have some tough work, just getting back to normal.

She said she was grateful for the generosity of her friends and customers, and wanted everyone to know how appreciative she and Rudy were.

Friends have begun a Go Fund Me page to help with Rudy’s medical expenses.  To learn more about the fund, lick on this link:  Rudy’s Medical Expenses Go Fund Me information

To learn more about the West Nile Virus and how to lessen you chances of getting bitten by an infected mosquito, click on this link: Virginia West Nile Virus information