Intro

Everyone has someone they hold dearly, and Karsten is mine. While you may not know Karsten, he is a beloved husband, father of two children, mentor, and dear friend. He is a man of humor, hard work, overflowing positivity, and conviction who has dedicated most of his adult life to the culinary arts. His mantra, developed from years as a chef and restaurant manager, stems from his belief that food is the vessel that ties the fabric of society together. It was through food that I met Karsten, the restaurant's assistant manager, where I was once employed. To everyone, he was never just a manager, he was a role model, a guidance counselor, but to me, he was my best friend who helped me through difficult times throughout the years.

Background

In 2019, Karsten accepted a new position as general manager in LA under one of the latest hotpot venues. This was the new and exciting venture that Karsten had been anticipating from his 20+ years of working in the restaurant industry. This opportunity required him to move away from home and separate himself from his family. He hoped this momentary sacrifice would be the necessary step to open a new chapter and build the foundation for his family’s future.

We all know how heartbreaking the onset of the Covid pandemic was, but for Karsten, it was just the beginning of a set of life-altering events. Karsten was one of the unlucky individuals harnessed to a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit. He recalls the physical pain of being bedridden and having to clear built-up mucus that lined his respiratory tract, but even more so, the terrifying reality of isolation in the ICU. He pulled through, yet this was only the beginning of his ordeal.

It wasn’t until three months after his initial symptoms that Karsten began to show improvement. However, it was not long until he developed additional complications. After managing the new restaurant for a few months, he started noticing pain radiating down his legs. At the time, he dismissed the pain as additional wear from the stresses of the new position; until one day, he felt a sharp tugging within his inner thigh. From the X-Rays ordered from his initial doctor’s visit, it was discovered that he had a torn hamstring and an unspecified gray mass at the base of his hips. This, in turn, led to additional MRI testing. As the results would not be available for several days, Karsten returned to his normal work routine; however, due to the COVID transition and restaurant shortages, Karsten had to work 12-hour shifts standing, potentially worsening his condition. When the results came in, his doctor mentioned how amazed he was that he could even walk, considering the hip joint had completely deteriorated on his right side and 50% on his left side. This was diagnosed as Avascular Necrosis (AN), essentially tissue death, the aftermath of COVID treatment. In hopes of a full recovery, he required immediate surgery. He discussed his options with this care team, and they advised him to receive treatment near his family. During the transition between moving back to the Bay Area and waiting for his surgery, he applied for workers' compensation only to be notified that he did not qualify. It was argued under the assumption that the AN had long been developing before he was hired, and therefore the company could not be held responsible for exacerbating the disease.

Situation

With limited resources, he could only apply for employment disability, of which he was eligible for less than $8,000, which only covered one of his surgeries (not counting the hospital expenses and future rehabilitation and care). He knew he could not support his family without an income and limited insurance, so he sought out lawyers, hoping they would take his case. The consultations were only met with more bad news, stating that even if they wanted to help, there was not much they could do considering he was not denied workers' compensation, but simply he did not qualify based on the company’s conditions. Currently, most of his savings have been depleted due to his lack of mobility, and he now relies heavily on his parents and wife for support. His disability impeding his ability to work leaves much uncertainty about whether he will ever be able to cook again or merely care for his family. Therefore, with your support, he will not only be able to support his family but also receive proper rehabilitation. Please donate any amount. Anything helps. Thank you for taking the time to read his story, for it truly means the world to his family and friends, who are working hard to support him during this time.