A 41-year-old Torrington father’s stroke has upended the lives of a family of five as he fights for his life in a Denver-area hospital's ICU.
Corin Neff, a musician and stay-at-home dad who has homeschooled his three children while his wife teaches art at Torrington High School, had a massive stroke on Halloween and was flown to Swedish Medical Center in Englewood.
Scott Nadeau, the father of Neff’s wife, Ellice, said his son-in-law initially underwent surgery in which part of his skull was removed to make room for the brain to swell, but the procedure did not stop the swelling.
Neff has been placed in a medically induced coma due to the swelling, and on Thursday, doctors learned that the swelling was pressing on his brain stem, causing further damage.
“They will work him off the paralytic (Friday) to see the extent of the damage,” Nadeau said. “This has all happened without warning and the shock has been overwhelming to the family.”
Nadeau said Corin, Ellice and the couple’s daughter and two sons, ages 11, 8, and 6, moved to Torrington four years ago from Colorado, where she taught at a charter school.
She has worked for the school district for three years and was named Teacher of the Year at Torrington High School for the 2026-27 school year.
Plays Music By Ear
The couple has been married for 14 years and initially met when Ellice was 18 through an online friendship between their mothers, Nadeau said. Corin Neff is originally from Pennsylvania.
“He writes music in his spare time, like jingles for commercials and things of that nature,” he said. “He can pick up any instrument and just play it.”
Information on the website imdb.com shows Corin Neff wrote music scores for some low-budget film projects. Several videos on YouTube show him playing a synthesizer and creating orchestral-sounding pieces.
Another video shows him playing his own finger-picking composition on a relative’s new guitar.
Nadeau said his son-in-law has been part of a band in the past. He characterizes Neff as someone who loves being around children.
“Kids like him. He’s taught some music to (his children) and to other kids as well,” Nadeau said. “He’s well-mannered, kind of quiet, but well-liked by those who know him.”
Ellice Neff has been at her husband’s side at the hospital. Nadeau and his wife are caring for the children and have taken over homeschooling them.
Difficult Choices To Make
Nadeau said his daughter initially had to choose between a procedure that would have removed part of her husband's brain or the one that placed him in the medically induced coma.
The stroke edema, or swelling of the brain, raises questions about Corin’s survival and future abilities.
“She’s going to have to make some difficult decisions based off that,” Nadeau said.
His 11-year-old granddaughter understands the situation with her dad, but the two younger children do not, he said.
Nadeau said they are a “people of faith” and that they are “coveting” the prayers of others as the family goes through the health crisis.
Friends and churches in Arizona, Colorado and elsewhere have all reached out to voice support, he said.
Though his daughter has health insurance through the school system, the family has started a GoFundMe to help with costs for the medical flight to Colorado, her extended stay there, travel back and forth and future needs.
The family says it is thankful for the support that has been shown by the Torrington community and beyond.
“If he survives (it) will help cover the expenses of rehab and life adjustments,” Nadeau said. “The GoFundMe is to help cover funeral expenses, if it comes to that.”
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at: Dale@CowboyStateDaily.com
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
