On the evening of June 14th, I was riding a Lime scooter home through Austin when everything changed in an instant.

Riding in the bike lane in the dark, I hit something I never saw coming. There was no time to react. One moment I was on my way home, the next I was on the pavement, badly hurt, alone.

Approximately twenty minutes later, a complete stranger stopped and saw me. That good samaritan drove me to the ER, and what the doctors found there was sobering: two jaw fractures, two fractured ribs, a lacerated liver, and a fractured C2 vertebra, the second bone from the top of your spine. The doctors told me that given the location of the C2 fracture, I could have been paralyzed.

I spent 2 nights in the hospital before I was stable enough to go home. I’ve now been through two jaw surgeries and am currently recovering from the second one. My jaw is wired shut (talking is difficult) and will stay that way until around Labor Day. I’m living on a liquid diet and eating through a syringe. I haven’t had a real meal in weeks, and I won’t for months.

My dad flew in from Wisconsin the moment he heard, and a friend was with me in the ER to help manage the situation, I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve been given. I’m home and healing, but recovery is long, and the financial reality is heavy.

Why I’m Asking for Help

My insurance has covered a lot, but not everything. The biggest gap is my dental care. The jaw fractures caused significant damage to my teeth, and that work isn’t fully covered. Between surgeries, follow-up care, specialist visits, and the dental reconstruction ahead, the out-of-pocket costs add up fast.

I’m raising funds to cover what insurance won’t, expenses that stand between me and being whole again.

I’m not someone who asks for help easily. But I’ve been humbled by this experience, and I know I can’t get through it alone. I’m grateful beyond words for the stranger who stopped for me that night, and I’m hoping that same spirit of generosity can help carry me through what comes next.

What Your Donation Covers

Every dollar goes directly toward my recovery:

● Dental reconstruction: the most significant uncovered expense; the jaw fractures did serious damage to my teeth

● Follow-up specialist care: ongoing monitoring for the rib and C2 fracture and liver laceration

● Recovery costs: medications, supplements, and the liquid nutrition keeping me going while my jaw heals

A Note of Gratitude

I think about that stranger who stopped for me a lot. I never got their name. They didn’t have to stop, but they did. If you’re reading this, thank you. You may have saved my life.

To everyone considering donating: even a small amount means more than I can say. Please share this page if you’re not able to give, spreading the word is just as valuable.

Thank you for being part of my recovery.

— Blair, Austin, TX