2015 Inspirational Family named
CRANBERRY TWP — Life for the Popson family changed overnight when Stephen Popson discovered he suffered from congestive heart failure.
He was forced to quit his job because of his health, and soon his wife, Shelby, also had to resign from her job to care for her husband. That forced the family of five into a severe economic hardship.
Now, with help from the Cranberry CUP, the family is facing a more uplifting situation.
“To see the community come together to help us, I never would have thought there were that many good people out there that would come together and help you like this,” Stephen Popson said. “It is awesome. It is honestly a blessing.”
[naviga:h3]Inspirational Family[/naviga:h3]
The Cranberry CUP — Community Uniting People — chose the Popson family as its 2015 Inspirational Family. They will be honored during the CUP's weekend of festivities Aug. 7 to 9. That includes a fun run, a softball tournament and golf tournament — all designed to raise funds and awareness for the family.
The Popsons and their three children, Isaac, 7, Koen, 3, and Emma, 7 months, now have a new double-wide home to give them more space, courtesy of the Cranberry CUP. The family was living in a small singlewide home.
Shelby Popson said she is beyond excited to see so many people who are pulling together to help families.
“The whole entire Cranberry CUP committee is just amazing. It is unbelievable,” she said.
Cranberry CUP President Cathy Cortazzo said she is excited for the community to rally around the Popson family.
“I always call them the inspirational family or person because for that one weekend we show the entire community how things can change so quickly in one's life,” Cortazzo said.
[naviga:h3]Life-changing event[/naviga:h3]
For the Popsons, life changed one night when the couple was on their couch to watch a movie. Shelby Popson had her head on her husband's chest and noticed his heart was racing, Stephen Popson said.
Before then, he had been struggling with shortness of breath, was tired all the time, was often dizzy and was having black flashes.
Shelby Popson told her husband she wanted him to go get checked out. At a medical facility, a nurse said he did not sound right because he was wheezing badly. Chest X-rays were taken, and it was discovered he had an enlarged heart.
Stephen Popson was told to go to the hospital. Tests were done, and it was found his heart was only functioning at 10 percent.
“I called my wife crying because my heart was at 10 percent, and I was filling up with fluids,” Stephen Popson said.
He said if he had not gone to the hospital when he did, he is not sure he would have had his 26th birthday.
Shelby Popson said her husband also contracted the H1N1 Flu along with his heart condition.
“They had to induce him into a coma for about three weeks,” Shelby Popson said. “They finally were able to take him out of the coma. He was able to breathe on his own.”
[naviga:h3]Terrifying experience[/naviga:h3]
Shelby Popson said the experience was terrifying.
“It was like going from normal day living to all of the sudden getting told that he may not make it,” she said. “There were quite a few nights and days that were the scariest thing I have ever gone through.”
Stephen Popson said the hardest part was when his children visited him for the first time in the hospital and they were afraid to come hug him because he was hooked up to all the machines.
“It was the hardest because all I wanted to do was wrap them up in my arms and hug them and kiss them and say I missed you guys,” he said.
Stephen Popson said now his heart functions at 15 percent to 20 percent, and he has a permanent defibrillator.
Doctors are not sure if his heart will get any better, Shelby Popson said.
“At this point we are just hoping that his heart will continue to go up, but there is so much damage done that it may not ever go up from here,” she said.
[naviga:h3]Dangerous boost[/naviga:h3]
Doctors said his condition was caused by his regular consumption of energy drinks, according to Stephen Popson. He said after being injured in a car accident after his 21st birthday, which included a concussion, he started drinking energy drinks to give him a boost throughout the day.
“You think you don't get addicted to them, yet you do because you can't go a day without it,” he said. “I needed to have it every day to get that lift of that energy to get going.”
Cortazzo said this year Stephen Popson has a mission to warn others about energy drinks.
“I truly call him brave and inspirational for wanting to do that,” Cortazzo said.
Stephen Popson said he was lucky and wants to get the message out to people that these drinks could harm them.
[naviga:h3]New home[/naviga:h3]
Cortazzo said of their new home, “It will give Shelby the ability to have day care in her home, which will add to the family's income and get them on proper footing so they can move forward with their lives.
“They are so excited about that place. They just moved into it this week.”
Shelby Popson said for the Cranberry CUP to be able to buy a home for them was a blessing.
“We have never expected for them to be able to do this and for the kids to have their own rooms and a place to play,” Shelby Popson said. “It is incredible.”
The organization also bought Stephen Popson a medical alert system for the home so if he were shocked by the defibrillator, he can press the button and an ambulance will come, Shelby Popson said.
“It is a weight off my shoulders knowing that there is something in this home that can easily be pressed and someone will be here immediately,” she said.
[naviga:h3]Giving thanks[/naviga:h3]
Shelby Popson said the Cranberry CUP has brought light into their life.
She noted everything it has done has lifted a weight off their shoulders.
She also is thankful for both of their families for all their help since her husband went to the hospital.
“They have done above and beyond. We can't thank them enough,” she said.
[naviga:h3]Cranberry CUP[/naviga:h3]
The Cranberry CUP begins on Friday with the golf tournament at the Cranberry Highlands Golf Course. A kickoff party will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at the golf course where the Popson family will be introduced.
The opening ceremonies are slated for 10 a.m. Aug. 8 at the Cranberry Township Community Park on Ernie Mashuda Drive off Route 19. There also will be a 5K Run and Walk at the Dick's Sporting Goods Sportsplex in Graham Park at 8 a.m. that day.
The softball tournament will be Aug. 8 to 9.
For information on the Cranberry CUP or the events taking place, visit
