At 1:00 a.m. on January 5th, my Subaru Forester was stolen from my driveway, right under the glare of four neighborhood yard lights and cameras. The incident is on film but unfortunately, I cannot see the culprit’s face.

As an Arborist / Tree Climber, I provide and transport my own work gear, which is highly specific to the industry and more importantly, to each climber; how each individual climbs and performs the job. It has taken nine years and countless hours of field testing to find out exactly which gear works for my particular style of climbing. Without this gear I cannot work. These are the tools that keep me safe and allow me to provide food and shelter for my daughter and myself. 



While the car was still missing, I held out hope that the contents would be found. But the car was recently recovered and all contents had been removed, from the owner’s manual to the empty coffee cups. The car is now at the shop and I’m waiting to see if the damage can be repaired or if it will be totaled out. Although my daughter’s car seat, a dash cam and GPS were all in the car, the most devastating thing is that I had just put my gear back in the car in preparation to return to work after the holidays. I kept all of my gear in the car because I would never know from day-to-day or site-to-site, which items I would need for a particular job. The gear was stowed in the storage compartment and out of sight.

I had been aware that auto insurance does not generally cover property inside the car. Those things are covered by a homeowner’s policy. Yet my insurance agent, who has since been fired, had led me to believe that my policy did include coverage of my work gear. When I filed the claim for the gear, I was told that it had never been covered. 

I found out that items used to earn a living are also not covered by regular homeowner’s insurance and that they require an additional policy. So this leaves me without a way to replace my gear to continue to work as an Arborist. 



I have put together a complete list of the stolen gear, which totals well over $10,000. I do not expect to be able to replace everything at once but I do need to purchase a basic setup. I have worked out a list of what I need to be able to keep climbing and to feel safe doing so. After a great deal of encouragement from family and friends, I am reaching out to you in order to raise $3,000, which would enable me to purchase the basic equipment I need to get back to work in the trees. 

Your support will allow me to get back on my feet and would mean more to me than words can explain! 

Peace & Blessings