I'm raising funds for my dear friend Maria and her family. Maria's husband, Melvin, is a house painter. Recently, he fell from a 30-foot ladder while he was at work and broke his neck and back. It's a miracle that he survived and that he wasn't paralyzed, and everyone is so thankful for that, but it is going to be a long road of recovery for him.

They don't have insurance, and the first medical bill just arrived, and it was $20,000. And that bill was only the first of many still to come! Melvin will have to have several follow-up appointments with a specialist and will eventually need physical therapy. Maria has applied for financial assistance to help cover the medical costs, but it's unclear if they will be approved. If they are approved, that assistance will only cover 60% of the emergency room bill and none of the continuing care costs. Additionally, they have had to rent a hospital bed for their home and buy various pieces of equipment to make it possible for Melvin to function in their home as he recovers.

Maria and Melvin have a 5-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son who are my godchildren. They have also taken in Maria's 17-year-old nephew, and Melvin has a 13-year-old son from a previous marriage. They are a two-income family that lives paycheck-to-paycheck. Melvin will be recovering for a minimum of 3 months, but it may be even longer until he'll be able to go back to work considering what a physical job he has. Maria cleans houses and has been unable to work consistently since the accident because she has had to care for Melvin and take him to doctors' appointments. Friends and family try to relieve her by staying with Melvin while Maria goes to work, but that isn't always possible. So now, these hardworking parents have gone from two incomes to almost none.

I started this GoFundMe because Maria and Melvin are good, hardworking people who are just trying to provide a good life for their kids, and in one instant, their lives imploded when he fell from that ladder. They are proud people and don't like to ask for help, but there are times when it takes a village, and this is one of those times. Anything you can donate would make a huge difference in their lives. Thank you for taking the time to read their story.