Hi, friends.

I've been gone from social media for a long time and I'm back to ask for your help. I've created this on behalf of David Tyson, dad to my best friend, Jessica Tyson.

TL;DR Less than a month ago, David was the victim of a sophisticated financial scam. He lost half of all his money. This fundraiser is for him.

Longer read:

While 2025 has not been kind to many of folks, it's been a particularly difficult year for David.

This past May, the beloved home he made with his wife, Kathy, was severely damaged in tornados that hit Battle Creek, MI. Since theirs was a manufactured home, the home value depreciates similarly to a car. The cost to repair their home far exceeded the payout from their insurance. Rendered homeless, he and Kathy have been staying with loved ones.

Being out of their home has been detrimental to Kathy's ongoing struggle with dementia and she needs to be placed in care. This has been just out of reach for them financially so David has been saving.

Then, last month (August), the unthinkable happened. Thieves took advantage of David's trust and vulnerability. After half a day of anxiety provoking manipulation and through use of a BitCoin ATM, David lost half of all their meager funds. HALF. Despite police reports, bank reports, BitCoin depot cases, nothing has been or can be done to recover the money.

Apparently this is the latest method used to defraud folks of money and you can find many similar stories online sharing the heartbreak and fury.

Here's my ask:

1. Donate money if you can. Donate kind words or a really good (aka lame) dad joke for David.

2. Share the story on social media for me.

3. CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR, TELL THEM THIS WON'T STAND, AND HAVE THEM VOTE TO ENSURE BITCOIN ATMS ARE MONITORED, VOTE TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY, VOTE TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC LEDGER IS USED TO TRACK THESE HEARTLESS THIEVES.

Isn't having an immutable ledger the whole the point of a blockchain upon which bitcoin is founded??? We need more technologically competent folks in office who understand the complicated harms being caused. Hoping for the criminals to be held liable seems a bridge too far but together we can help David or lift his spirits, and take action.

Warn folks who aren't as technically savvy. Report cyber-enabled crime to https://www.ic3.gov/ and, above all else, do NOT feel ashamed and do NOT shame the victims of these horrendous ordeals. It's salt on an already festering wound. Be a helper. Be a healer.

I love you. I miss you. Thank you.