My name is Ben Mossbarger, and I would love your help covering the cost of trying to save my little buddy Zuko.

Zuko came to me in the depths of the pandemic, at a time when I was out of work, coping with chronic migraines, and struggling with my mental health. Zuko made a dark time bright. He brought me joy, he brought me stability, he brought me routine, and he brought me an infinite supply of kisses and cuddles. Zuko's love helped bring me back to a stable place in life, which I so badly needed.

In mid-July, Zuko suddenly fell ill. Over the course of a couple of days we noticed his health deteriorating, and took him in for emergency care. An MRI showed that his vestibular symptoms were being caused by meningitis, later confirmed to be auto-immune; we'll never know what made him sick, or why he didn't respond to treatment. I did everything I could to save him, but it just didn't work. In less than a week, I went from everything finally feeling like it was going to be okay, to the deepest grief I've ever felt. He was only two years old.

After two and a half years of not working, I just started a new job this March, and haven't had time to save money. Trying to save Zuko cost me $12,500 -- my entire meager savings, plus a significant chunk of credit card debt. I would love your help with the financial burden this has left me, in addition to the puppy-shaped hole in my heart.