Life changes can be sudden, especially those that are medical in nature, such as the one 24-year-old Britney Sapp Barninger endured as she suffered a stroke on January 4th.  She now is working to recover from yet a second stroke since then and friends and family are pulling together to raise funds to help with her care along with the family’s day-to-day living expenses.

A benefit concert and dinner will be held at the Armory in Santa Anna on January 26th, beginning at approximately 5:00 PM.  The evening will start with the brisket dinner, an auction, silent auction, raffle and cake walk, then culminate with the band Four Barrel taking the stage for a concert on Britney’s behalf.

The public is invited to attend and help support the family as they work to help Britney recover.

Britney is the mother of one and three-year-old boys and the wife of Matt Barninger, of Barninger Brothers Construction.  Britney suffered a stroke at her home in Santa Anna while sitting on the couch admiring the snow with her two boys.  She was quickly taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital in Coleman, then rushed to the larger and more specialized Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, where she continues to be treated in the intensive care unit.

She was making strides in her recovery while at Hendrick, walking with assistance on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 8th-9th, then that Thursday morning, she suffered yet another stroke.  She was rushed into surgery, where half of her skull was removed to relieve pressure caused by swelling.  Friends report that Britney nearly lost the fight on the trip to Hendrick and had to be resuscitated again during surgery.

Currently, Britney is unable to talk, but communicates with her husband Matthew through hand squeezes and thumbs up signals.  Just today, according to close friend Autumn Davis, Britney was able to open one eye and tried to talk to her husband; however she is still on a ventilator.

“She has a long road of recovery, but she is young.  Being just 24 is probably the best thing she has on her side,” said Davis.  “She’s quite a fighter.”

Britney was a vibrant and beautiful woman who loved her job at Senior Care of Brownwood as a rehab tech, said Davis.  She had just gone from working full time to a part time position so that she could attend RN school at Ranger College, starting this week.  Due to the situation, Ranger has pushed her enrollment to January 2014.

Because Britney had dropped to part time employment, the family has no insurance to cover her medical expenses.  A fundraiser website,

Friends of Britney Barninger – “ANGELS FOR BRITNEY”, has been set up and donations have been pouring in, but much more is needed to pay for her extensive treatment.  A special account has also been set up at Mills County State Bank in Brownwood. Simply mention Angels for Britney, and donations will be placed in her benefit account.  Donations may be mailed to Mills County State Bank, 3101 Austin Avenue, Brownwood, Texas 76801.

Davis stated that an original goal of $10,000 was raised in only four days and that recently the website’s goal was increased to $50,000.

Britney’s husband Matt and mother Marilyn have stayed by her side constantly, in fact, Davis stated that they jokingly call his corner of the ICU waiting room “Britney’s Bungalow.”  The children are being cared for by family in their parents’ absence, Davis said.  With Britney and Matt not working through this time, bills are accumulating including their day to day expenses; friends are asking the public to help support the Barninger family through these fundraisers.  Please visit

Friends of Britney Barninger – “ANGELS FOR BRITNEY” website and/or mark your calendar for the brisket dinner and concert on January 26th.