Help Carrie cross the finish line on her Journey to Recovery

Hi everyone. My name is Carrie Max. I live in Paradise, California. My family and I have been here now for over 53 years! I was raised here. This is home!

Over six years ago, a disaster came through our town. A wildfire that was named the Campfire took our whole town and left over 30 thousand of us homeless! I think I may write a book about these last six years someday, but right now I'm just going to tell you what I would love to receive.

So right after the fire, I was lucky enough to be placed in a trailer by FEMA in Yuba City while Mommy got placed in Grass Valley in a care home. I commuted about a thousand miles a week for that first year to keep an eye on the property in Paradise, sorting through it, working in the yard, and making sure Mom was safe, happy, and taken care of. Then a dear friend found me a camping trailer of my own and I've been in it on my property now for 5 years! Through these years, I've been fighting the town to be able to stay on my property in a trailer and waiting for PG&E to see me. I've been to court several times, unfortunately, with family, to straighten things out.

I have really enjoyed taking part and helping our town reinvent itself! I've been to every town meeting, giving input, listening, and learning what our town needs and wants.

I helped build sheds at the very beginning; they were so important for us to keep our things safe and dry. I tried to show up everywhere I could, be of service, and help people get back into their homes. Now I have been very blessed recently because Recover California is going to help me build my own house! We broke ground just this last month and very soon I will have a home on my property again! I did have to sit and wait 5 years to be approved but it is so worth the wait! I am truly blessed!

What was required of me, was to give them what money I did receive from insurance, which I was happy to give, but unfortunately, that has left me literally penniless.

I am still paying a mortgage here and electricity is very expensive while living in a camping trailer! I need to pay my property taxes among other monthly bills. I have gotten behind on it all. I had been using my savings to make ends meet. For the last couple of months, dear friends and family have been helping me financially. My credit cards are maxed. I need help getting back to zero and helping me walk through the next several months without worry so I can be the strong, happy, and HEALTHY person I once was. Very recently, I have been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm that needs to be dealt with, and a non-cancerous tumor in my throat that needs to be removed, and what I am realizing is I'm pooped! I'm tired! It's time for Carrie to rest, but I can't rest without some financial help.

Seeing all these doctors and getting this medical treatment is down in the Bay Area and at Davis. My commuter car needs work now, and I need to get her fixed so I can take care of myself. Things just keep coming up that I need help with. I would be so honored to receive some financial support.

This is the last leg of me coming home. I've worked really hard to be here and stay here, and this is the final stretch of me being able to get back in a home, AND IT'S HAPPENING!!!!! I have put so much on hold these last 6 years. I'm realizing I have forgotten how to dream.

So there's an amazing construction company. American Dream is building my house and they say within 90 days I'm going to be in a home! Well, I think that's the perfect amount of time for me to rest, have my surgeries, and breathe.

It has taken me literally months to be able to ask for help, but I'm realizing I won't make it across the finish line without your help.

I am retired at this point and did it early due to disabilities. I do have a new shoulder and a new hip! I am on a fixed income. These next several months will also be the perfect opportunity for me to really do the math and cut things here and add things there and get my life in order.

Now, through these last several years, PG&E has come through with money here and there. Literally here and there. Not even close to the amount that they promised and then it turns out I'm only getting a third of what I'm supposed to. I have been able to survive and actually have some joy in my life by preserving the garden and again just being part of my town has brought me so much joy, but I need to sit still. I need to figure out what I'm going to do now.

Also, I'm finding since I've been sitting still that I am sad. Truly depressed. Really realizing how this disaster has affected me mentally. So, I'm seeing my amazing therapist again, and I'm reaching out and calling my loving friends again and realizing how isolated I have become just being kind of embarrassed that I was still in a trailer and not in a home like everybody else.

But yay, it is all coming together. I have a plan and I just need help making it happen. I will make Facebook updates showing you every step of the building process!

One gift this disaster has brought is helping me to see what is important. Who is important, and how we can be a team and come together and love one another.

Thank you so much for listening. Please share me!