For months, 43-year-old Jatu Namvised, a vibrant Thai native and a beloved fixture in the Asheville community, was slowly losing his energy. What started as a lingering cold in early April of 2025 turned into debilitating fatigue, dizziness, and faintness that forced the high-energy waiter to cancel the volleyball games he loved and come home and go to bed in the middle of his shift. Nothing like this had ever happened before.

Jatu is the primary provider for his family of 10 in Thailand and carries significant monthly bills. He had lost his Western North Carolina Community Health Service doctor because his income as a server exceeded 200% of the national poverty level, but he couldn't afford the $664/month cost of NC Marketplace insurance. With no doctor, his husband, Skip, made 25 calls to local clinics, but the earliest appointments were weeks or months away. Urgent care centers, noting his severe symptoms, recommended he go to the emergency room, but Jatu and Skip thought the cost might be beyond their means.

A Critical Discovery

Just as they prepared to go to the ER, a longtime friend, visiting and studying to become a health coach, suggested another path: immediate blood work at Quest. Our old family doctor friend in Oregon was also consulted, confirming the need for tests. Less than 24 hours later, the results were in: Jatu's hemoglobin was a startling and dangerously low 4.5 — barely enough red blood cells to keep his heart beating. Our doctor friend’s calm but firm directive was chilling: "Get him to the closest ER NOW. His heart could stop."

Jatu was rushed to the hospital and immediately admitted. Doctors discovered an internal hemorrhoid that had been silently bleeding for a very long time. He received three critical units of blood and an iron transfusion, stabilizing his condition just in time to prevent cardiac arrest. He remained hospitalized for four days, undergoing extensive tests, and was discharged with four more outpatient procedures scheduled.

The Burden

The initial bills for Jatu’s emergency care quickly climbed to $58,000. While Skip negotiated with the hospital and explored every available program, they are still facing a daunting balance of $12,000 to $14,000. This unexpected medical debt is a hardship for Jatu and his family, a price that is very hard for him to pay.

Who is Jatu?

Jatu embodies generosity and community spirit. Growing up on a rice farm in Thailand, he moved to Asheville in 2014 after marrying his American husband, becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2023. He is incredibly kind, friendly, and hard-working. Every month, he financially supports his family back in Thailand.

Jatu is a beloved figure in Asheville:

* He is a five-time volleyball champion with his league teammates.

* It's a regular habit for him to order extra meals at restaurants or buy food at the restaurants where he works and seek out homeless individuals in downtown Asheville to share supper with them.

* He consistently pays forward the good fortune of being an American citizen every chance he gets. Jatu gives so much to those around him and to his community. Now, he needs your help.

How You Can Help

We have created this campaign to ease the financial strain of Jatu's medical emergency. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference in helping Jatu recover without the overwhelming weight of medical debt.

Please share Jatu's story with your friends, family, and social networks. Your support means the world to Jatu and those who care about him.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.