Help Don Guynn Recover The Cost Of Being A Hero.

In an instant his life changed forever.

On July 13, 2020 on a typical glorious and sunny day in the Western Carribean island of Roatan, Honduras, Don was walking to the main house of a property for which he was a seasonal caretaker. The elderly owner, Miss Julie, and her daughter, Lianne, usually had refreshments for him.

 

Don shared with Miss Julie and Lianne his latest adventures. Don, an avid SCUBA diver, kitesurfer and community voluteer during his seasonal stay on Roatan, always had something fascinating to talk about. His newest interest was getting to fly for the first time since Covid-19. He was looking forward to returning to his business, Virginia Hanggliding on the Eastern Shore, after a year of Covid shutdown.

 

Flying anything that has wings was a passion for him. Known as "The Showman of the Skies" Don delighted in the smiles and laughter his entertaining flights provided to children and elderly alike.

While in Virginia, in his free time, he managed to fit in snowskiing, flyboarding, riding his motorcyle and flying for charitable causes. Don was always very active and involved and passionate about his communities and the sports he loved.

 

Swallowing the last of his juice he thanked Julie and Lianne and headed back to his morning chores. He considered them his family and would do anything to protect them. Little did he know he was about to show that to be true.

 

Walking toward the garden he was tending Don observed two armed intruders scaling the perimeter wall about 100 feet away from the home he had just left. Don's immediate concern was for the two exposed women alone in the house. He ran back inside to warn them.

Advancing quickly, the intruders were now only 50 feet away. Lianne ran and grabbed a small .22 caliber revolver she kept under her bed - a small comfort against the 9mm semi automatics that the gunmen carried. 

 

Don yelled for the intruders to leave. As they advanced they fired. The gunmen fired into the house, shattering the heavy hurricane glass doors and windows. A third gunman had been crouching behind the perimeter wall and began to fire. Don, firing back, quickly exhausting the few rounds from the .22 revolver and grabbed a pellet gun from behind the door, hoping the gunmen would think he had a long rifle and would cease fire. His determination to scare them off worked. The three fled into the jungle.

 

As Lianne called the neighbors on the VHF radio to warn them of the gunmen on the VHF , Don became weak. Thinking it was adrenalin from the violent encounter, he stepped inside, noticing blood on the floor. Miss Julie and Lianne rushed to his side. It was then they realized the unthinkable had happened. Don had been shot- twice. One shot passed through his bicept. The other penetrated his trachea and lodged in his shoulder, where it remains today.

 

Don collapsed as his neighbor carried him to the ER bay. He was rushed into emergency surgery to stabilize him for air transport the mainland Honduras. Too critical to move immediately this gave Lianne time to arrange the money for air transport, In Honduras the patient must pay up front, out of pocket, before the helicopter will even fuel up.

 

Once stable Don was tranfered, on life support, to San Pedro Sula where he underwent surgery again. He developed Covid-19 and pneumonia while there. His recovery was a long journey. His trach was removed. But he now faced medical bills exceeding $40,000.

 

On April 15, 2021 Donnie had a breathing crisis and was rushed to the ER. Specialists determined that scar tissue occluded 90% of his trachea. Following emergency surgery Don's airway was determined to be so far compromised that a permanent trach would have to be inserted, This visit exceeded $23,000.

 

He will never be able to do many of the sports he loved so much. He was told that he could not perform some of the aspects of his business. He is facing a challenging lifestyle change: He is learning to keep himself suctioned and to clean his trach so he doesn't choke on his own secretions. He is learning to talk again with techniques he learned from therapists. He is learning how to shower to prevent water from entering his lungs.

 

In addition to the obvious emotional challenges Don faces by having an altered body, body image, there are other factors he with which he must contend. Don is facing significant physical challenges that impact his ability to run his flight park business, to earn income. His medical debt, now $63,000, is a burden he can't face alone.

 

I am asking for donations to help "Hero" Don recover financially. Our goal is $37,000. Thanks to you all!