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Hi everyone,
My name is AJ Armbrust. I am 29 years old, I have cerebral palsy, and I use a wheelchair full-time for my mobility.
Yesterday, my life and the life of my partner, Jacob, took a terrifying turn.
When we got home, our handicap-accessible van suddenly began to smoke.
Jacob, who is also my full-time caretaker, acted instantly and pulled me out of the vehicle just in time.
Moments later, the van caught fire and violently exploded.
While I am incredibly grateful to be alive thanks to his quick thinking, the fire moved too fast for us to save any of my essential medical supplies, and the van itself is completely destroyed.
Because I cannot walk, this van wasn't a luxury—it was my entire lifeline. Without it, I am completely stranded. But the loss of the van has triggered an even more immediate emergency for us.
Our monthly rent and utilities total $1,600, and they are due in just 20 days. Right now, we survive entirely on my monthly SSI fixed income of around $900. Jacob works around the clock to care for me for free while we endure the long waiting list in Hennepin County, Minnesota to get him officially set up and paid through CFSS. After waiting 7 months, I finally get assigned a case manager on July 14th to start that process, but we know the system moves slowly, and it will not arrive in time to keep a roof over our heads this month.
We are trapped in a corner, facing the loss of my mobility, the loss of my medical supplies, and the immediate threat of losing our home. That is why we are turning to our community for help.
Every single dollar raised will go directly to ensure our rent and utilities are covered so we don't face eviction, with the remaining funds going toward replacing my lost medical supplies and securing a safe, accessible wheelchair van.
If you are able to donate, no amount is too small. If you aren't able to donate, simply sharing this link with your friends, family, and networks would mean the absolute world to us.
No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to our GoFundMe.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing by us during the scariest week of our lives.
With deepest gratitude,
AJ & Jacob
***Security Camera Footage of the incident***
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Link to video of security camera footage showing the whole incident: YouTube Video
Update: We got the van hauled away Tuesday
Organizer
