Hi, my name’s Andy Russell. Some of you may know me as a magician, a dad, or just that friendly face from McDonald’s doing card tricks to cheer up your little ones. I’ve always prided myself on bringing a bit of wonder, laughter, and light to others — even when life’s been tough behind the scenes. But now, I find myself in a place where I need to ask for help.

Over the past few years, I’ve been battling heart failure, and things have taken a turn for the worse. I’ve now had two defibrillators fitted, and recently suffered a serious arrhythmia that landed me in critical care at Scarborough Hospital. My heart rate was dangerously unstable, and I was kept in hospital while they doubled my medication and monitored my condition closely.

Even walking across the room left me breathless and dizzy. There have been days I nearly blacked out from simply trying to do the exercises the doctors gave me. I’m now on high-dose heart medication, restricted to just 1.5 litres of fluid a day, and have been told not to rush back to work. My body needs rest — something I’ve never been good at, but now I don’t have a choice.

Up until now, I’ve been holding down a job at McDonald’s while performing magic gigs across Scarborough and beyond. I’ve done parties, weddings, bars, open mics — anything I could manage to bring in some income and keep doing what I love. But with this latest setback, my doctors have said I need to step away from work for a while and reconsider my career entirely.

That’s why I’m asking for your help.

I’ve never been one to ask for handouts — but with no steady income coming in, rising bills, and an uncertain timeline for recovery, I’m scared of what comes next. This fundraiser will help cover my living costs while I recover, allow me to explore less physically demanding work options (like more online performances or writing), and keep me afloat until I can get back to doing what I do best — bringing people joy.

If you’ve ever enjoyed a trick I performed, had a chat with me in Scarborough, or just believe in helping people through hard times, any donation — no matter how small — would mean the world to me.

And if you can’t donate right now, I completely understand. Sharing this page or leaving a kind word of encouragement also goes a long way.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I’m determined to recover and come back stronger — with a little help from you, I know I can.

With heartfelt thanks,

Andy Russell