Catholic rapper ‘in good spirits’ after multiple strokes

Steubenville, Ohio, Sep 24, 2009 / 14:58 pm

Bob Lesnefsky, better known as "Righteous B," is in the hospital following a series of three strokes that hit the 31 year-old Catholic rapper and founder of Dirty Vagabond Ministries seemingly out of nowhere. His brother Andy reports that "the B" keeps saying that he "feels really loved" and that "he has no idea how he can ever thank everyone" for the outpouring of support they’ve been receiving.

On Wednesday, September 16, Righteous B went to the hospital with what the family thought was a severe migraine. Doctors later confirmed that he had experienced multiple strokes affecting the right side of his brain. They also discovered the blood clot responsible for the damage, which had moved and was no longer in danger of causing another stroke. Throughout the whole ordeal, Righteous B has been in good spirits, saying "Jesus saved his life."

The left side of his body, however, is still significantly numb, and he will face a long and arduous road toward recovery. The Catholic youth minister will also have to undergo rehab to teach the functional parts of his brain to do what the now-dead parts once handled. Nevertheless, he and his family are thankful for the outpouring of support they have received from friends, family and fans.

The website www.prayfortheb.com serves both as a center for updates on Righteous B’s recovery and as a place where people can donate to the family, who are placing their trust in God while Bob, who is self-employed, is unable to work. The website recommends that people who are interested in helping Bob and his family out for the long term should make monthly donations to his outreach, Dirty Vagabond Ministries.

Righteous B’s ministry focuses on bringing Christ to inner-city youth through mentoring, discipleship and relationships in a way the kids can relate to. Instead of formal youth group meetings, their website, dirtyvagabond.com, says, they focus on reaching out to individuals through community centers located in very urban areas. Dirty Vagabond Ministries has the "aim of raising pastoral leaders in the urban church with the intent on keeping them in urban communities to mentor others."

The ministry is currently active in Queens and Rochester, New York, and Steubenville, Ohio.

The family says they will forward messages to "the B" (bob@prayfortheb.com) and welcome prayers, support and stories of why Righteous B has been important to you.