Dear friends and community,

My name is Joseph Turnage, and I find myself in a challenging and vulnerable position as I reach out for help. I am a husband to a wonderful wife and a father to four beautiful children, and it pains me to share that I am currently unable to provide for them due to my health struggles.

In February of 2024, I underwent a lumbar laminectomy, hoping to relieve the debilitating pain that had taken over my life. Unfortunately, the surgery did not fully resolve my issues, and I am still facing immense pain daily due to remaining herniated discs. As a result, I am unable to work and support my family, which has put us in a precarious financial situation.

The hardest part of this ordeal is the weight of responsibility I feel as a provider. My wife and children depend on me, and not being able to meet our basic needs is heart-wrenching. We are struggling to keep up with our bills, and our mortgage payment feels like an insurmountable burden. Every month brings anxiety and fear as we scrape together what little we have to stay afloat.

I have a follow-up appointment with my spine surgeon next week to discuss the second surgery. While I hold onto hope that this procedure will bring me some relief, the uncertainty adds to our stress. In the meantime, we are living day by day, unsure of how we will manage our finances and provide for our children’s needs. We have reached out to all the churches in our area, went through DHS, applied and followed up with every program our county has to offer and have hit a dead end everytime.

If you are in a position to help, even the smallest contribution would make a significant difference in our lives. We are grateful for any assistance, whether it’s financial support or even sharing this message with others who may be able to help.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Your kindness and support mean more to us than words can express.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Joseph Turnage