Help Amelio Heal After Top Surgery

Many stars aligned, and Amelio and I met in Tucson, Arizona. He was sharp, hilarious, and deeply kind. We found solace and understanding in each other in ways we hadn't before. Our friendship was immediate, and with time ebbed into family.

I remember him telling me about a fantasy he frequents. In it, he saw himself on the beach, sun on his flat (and incredibly ripped) chest, wind in his hair, jumping in the waves.

Then he told me there was no way he could have this. I told him he absolutely could. He told me he could never afford it.

I said we would find a way.

All of Amelio's pursuits have centered around getting top surgery. He's worked isolated, unsafe jobs in remote Alaska, moved multiple states, and pushed through some tough living situations to obtain this surgery. He finally has his surgery scheduled for December.

Unfortunately, his seasonal forestry job is ending right before his surgery date, disqualifying him from FMLA and leaving him out of work while he recovers. Due to surgery recovery, he will not be able to do the intense physical labor required in the outdoor industry he's been working in. This leaves him out of work and out of funds for the foreseeable future. Like many trans people of color, Amelio has been living paycheck to paycheck and does not come from familial wealth.

I made this GoFundMe to help him cover 3 months of basic living costs, including: food, rent, utilities, phone bill, car/insurance payment, debt upkeep, and medical expenses.

Amelio has worked extremely hard to finally access this surgery. With the support of this fundraiser, he will have stability and safety during recovery.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! If 1,000 people donate $10, our goal will be met. No amount is too small!

If you cannot donate, sharing this fundraiser is immensely helpful.

His IG is @transmijo_

Venmo and Cashapp links will be in the IG bio if preferred over GoFundMe.