Retired LPGA Tour professional Jane Park recently shared an update on Instagram Stories after another hospital stay for her daughter, Grace (Gracie) Godfrey, who lives with intractable epilepsy and its complications. Grace was recovering from severe pneumonia and remained on supplemental oxygen, though her condition had improved.
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“Hi. We are home. Exhausted. I was nearly dead, but A1 came in as a relief pitcher, and we made it back,” Park wrote.
She explained that the medical team would gradually reduce Grace’s oxygen to aid her lung recovery. Tiffany Joh, Park’s close friend and former UCLA teammate, stepped in to support the family and stayed beside Grace during the hospitalization.
As Grace recovered, Park herself fell seriously ill during one of her daughter’s hospital stays—a role reversal that forced her to ask for help. She thanked those who had supported them before concluding, “The horrors persist, but so do we!”
The words reflect the uncertainty and exhaustion that define life for a family managing a severe chronic illness. Returning home brings relief, but it does not eliminate the possibility of another medical emergency.
Grace’s health struggles began in July 2021, when she was 10 months old. While Park was competing in an LPGA tournament in Dallas, Grace suffered severe seizures and brain swelling, leaving her with lasting disabilities and intractable epilepsy. Despite treatment, her seizures have remained difficult to control, and repeated hospitalizations have brought further complications.
The recent bout of pneumonia required intensive respiratory support, including BiPAP and supplemental oxygen, adding to the family’s ongoing medical challenges.
The crisis also ended Park’s professional golfing career. After 15 years on tour, the former U.S. Women’s Amateur champion stepped away from competitive golf to become Grace’s full-time caregiver and advocate. Her husband, Pete Godfrey, a longtime LPGA caddie, also adapted his life to meet their daughter’s needs.
Joh has remained a key source of support, including organizing a major GoFundMe campaign to help cover Grace’s medical expenses. Her involvement during the latest hospitalization gave Park practical help when she was too ill to manage everything herself.
When Park fell ill during Grace’s hospitalization, Joh’s presence became not just helpful—essential. Hospital stays require constant attention, and when a caregiver becomes ill, the strain intensifies. Having someone dependable to share responsibilities can make an immediate difference.
Park’s experience also highlighted the need for mental health support within professional golf. Her departure underscored the personal crises athletes can face beyond competition, contributing to greater attention to mental health resources within the LPGA, including support from sports psychologist Dr. Julie Amato.
Through her social media updates, Park has drawn attention to the realities of caring for a child with a complex medical condition: the fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty that persist even when a crisis passes.
Grace’s continued milestones offer moments of relief, but they do not erase the challenges her family faces. Each recovery brings gratitude without guaranteeing an easier future.
Park’s words carry weight because they do not disguise the hardship. Resilience does not mean fear disappears or the burden becomes lighter. It means continuing to care for Grace while accepting help when the demands become overwhelming.
For Park and her family, getting home is a relief, not a resolution. Grace still needs close care, and the future remains uncertain.
“The horrors persist, but so do we” isn’t a claim that everything will be fine. It is an acknowledgment that the struggle continues—and so must they, one day at a time.