My name is J Torrence and I'm the co-owner of Sneak CLT in Charlotte, NC.

My friend and business partner, who's also the Operating Partner and General Manager of Sneak, Jamil Whitlow, was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare but serious kidney disease. This has led to a very tough life challenge that came to a head in January 2025. That's when he had to have emergency surgery for complications with kidney disease and has been on dialysis ever since.

He does treatments four hours a day, four days a week, leaving him exhausted and weakened, preventing him from working or spending quality time with his young daughter and wife.

After a year-long battle, Jamil was recently approved to be added to the kidney donor transplant list, which is a great blessing considering his condition.

In June 2025, Jamil had another life-threatening situation due to a staph infection and was hospitalized for a full week.

This was the same week of his 40th birthday celebration we planned for him at Sneak.

Jamil has remained steadfast and strong throughout all of this, not feeling sorry for himself or giving up. He has remained determined to beat this, with hard work and the hopes of receiving a new kidney.

He doesn't look for pity or handouts and has continued to work hard for the business he helped start and his family.

However, through all of his efforts and struggles to beat this, life's challenges keep happening, and he recently suffered a major financial setback due to his limited ability to work and extremely high and increasing medical bills.

This has been a really tough time for Jamil and his family, and as his partner and friend, we want to do all we can to support and help him through all of this.

And with that, we humbly ask for our community's support for our friend and brother, at a time in his life when he really needs it.

We will continue to do all we can, but we can't do enough on our own. As hard as it is to admit, the truth remains, Jamil needs more help than we can give, and necessity far exceeds humility in this moment. We need your help. No amount is too small; it's all appreciated.

Thank you for all.

Peace and love!