Hello friends,

For more than a decade, I’ve dedicated my life to helping people and families impacted by addiction. I helped build some of Missouri’s first harm reduction and recovery efforts as a living amends to my parents, who both passed away from cancer. After overcoming my own struggles, I wanted to honor them by building a life and legacy I could be proud of and becoming the man they raised.

I was the first person in Missouri to distribute naloxone. I launched St. Louis’s first syringe access program. I helped change laws, shaped large parts of Missouri’s opioid response, and co-authored the federal harm reduction framework now used nationwide. This work has never been a job to me. It has been the mission of my life.

Why I’m asking for help

Many of you know pieces of what has happened since my termination. The aftermath has been incredibly hard. What I built wasn’t just a career. It was the legacy I intended to leave my children, something they could always point to with pride.

After that separation, confusion and speculation filled the gaps. Anyone who has worked in public health knows how quickly stories can grow legs when there’s no context. In a field where reputation determines which doors stay open, the impact was immediate and deeply felt.

As a single father raising two kids full-time, the hardest part has not been the loss of a title. It’s been the loss of the stability, purpose, and momentum I spent years building. If you or someone you love has ever benefited from naloxone access, overdose immunity laws, or harm reduction services in Missouri, there’s a good chance my work touched your life in some way.

Why this matters

This situation touches on important issues in Missouri’s public health landscape, far bigger than me but anyone who understands this field knows how vital clarity and honesty are to the people we serve.

How you can help

I hate asking for help, but I don’t have a choice. My attorney has been working on a quasi-contingency basis, but I owe legal fees for the extraordinary amount of work required in this matter. Your support will help cover:

• court filing fees

• deposition and court reporter costs

• essential litigation expenses

I will provide full transparency on how every dollar is spent. I want my kids to see me fight through this with integrity and resilience, no matter how difficult it gets.

Final call to action

Your support, whether through a donation or simply sharing this page, will help me stabilize my life, support my kids, and continue the work I’ve devoted my life to. I’m proud of what we built together. With your help, I can keep moving forward.

Thank you for standing with me.

Chad