Rebuilding Life

Hi my name is Jay Lewis and I am attempting to raise funds to patch life back together.

The start of 2020 my bride and I began construction of our home here in Port Charlotte, Florida. Not knowing much of the impeding COVID pandemic, the economic toll that it was about to take on us and the onset of catastrophic events that were to come.

As many are aware supply shortages and prices soared. Both budget and time was being eroded. Seeing extended hotel stays in the future, we remedied this financial bleeding with the addition of a camper on the property, within a few months, we found the town prohibited this use and was forced off the property. while the four of us battled through COVID.

We pushed forward until an accident that almost took Tracy's life. Where she suffered three TBI's (Traumatic Brain Injury) three mini strokes, broken scapula, pelvic, 10 ribs in multiple locations and internal bleeding again, we picked up ourselves by the bootstraps and push forward.

Again making headway until hurricane Ian hit us straight on knocking over walls, destroying trusses and plywood for the roof that were awaiting installation. Adding insult to injury, there were looters stealing tools and equipment and materials from my property. The setback was tens of thousands of dollars.

We didn't have the home or materials insured due to being under construction. FEMA and SBA turned us away because the home was not pre-existing. We have come too far to turn back now. Credit hit budget hit and future home hit. We became determined not to allow this situation to steal our dreams. We picked ourselves up again and pushed on finally making headway, with repairing walls, rebuilding others and finishing others.

So many people swarmed the state renting all apartments and hotels that we were at a loss of housing now that the camper was gone that we decided to try and salvage some of the damaged plywood and turn it into a temporary shack on the slab while we continued construction as the state of Florida removed camping on property rules in a state of emergency for two years, only to find out that because the home was not preexisting this was not applied to us and were forced to move off the property again.

Still we found strength to move forward. Until we would be faced with a nightmare of losing my bride and well loved mum.

Tracy at 51 years old was taken in for an open heart surgery that set off a chain of surgeries. Complications arose from an allergic reaction to a blood thinner and the doctor leaving a balloon in her leg that cut blood supply to it, eventually resulting in amputation and ultimately her passing.

My pride has always been that I provide and protect my wife and kids that God has given me and blessed me with. For the first time I feel that I have fallen short of that goal. So now I am faced with two options. Walk away or push on.

I'm broken and weak and lost in overwhelming emotions. My boys have pushed me to place my pride aside and write upon these pages. I must push on, more for them and their future, but I cannot see how without a little boost up.

I'm not asking for someone to do it for me. Just a hand back up to my feet. I believe that I can complete the home with around 50 thousand dollars. Less a little to help funeral expenses. I got caught with my pants down sinking everything into my house leaving me exposed to this moment.