Imagine your dad, brother, husband or someone you love more than anything suddenly lost his ability to walk and didn’t have a place to live once he was released from the hospital. That’s what‘s happening to my dear friend, Hector. 

****Monday, the 23rd (2 days before Christmas), Hector will be released from the hospital, a sudden amputee, with no way of working and no place to live.******

Hector's Story:

Overnight, Hector's life changed as he knew it. Diagnosed with Type II Diabetes a year ago at age 38, he started experiencing intense pain in his legs. So bad that at certain points, he would be in bed for days. After several doctor's visits and no helpful answers, the pain only got worse. Test after test, treatment after treatment, nothing was helping. So, without a choice because, despite his pain, rent was still due, Hector kept working as a runner at a restaurant. Lifting heavy things, running up and down stairs, trying to ignore the pain he was feeling, until one day, the pain was so bad, he had to call in sick at work. He stayed in bed for 2 days, then his roommate found him passed out on the floor. His roommate rushed him to the hospital. He doesn't remember anything that happened after that until the moment the doctor's told him that he had a serious infection spreading from his feet up and if they don't amputate his legs from the calve down, he would die.

Why he needs our help:

Now, in his new handicapped condition, Hector can't work until he receives his prosthetics and learns to walk again.  This can take about 6 months to a year. Because of all of the time he had away from work with frequent doctor's visits and the intense pain he was feeling, Hector now has about $200 saved and no place to live once the hospital releases him. With his entire family in Mexico and no friends able to host him, his two options are: 1. A shelter where he would be left in a dangerous environment without the care someone dealing with amputation recovery needs. OR 2. The streets. 

What the money would go towards:

Hospital Bills: $10,000 - $25,000

A year's worth of rent in wheelchair friendly apartment: $650-950/month

Why we need more Hectors in the world:

Despite the tragedy he’s going through, he still greets everyone with a smile on his face and with hope in his heart that everything will turn out okay. His grateful attitude is deeply inspiring for someone who just lost his ability to walk and may have no home to go back to. We could all learn a thing or two from Hector's perspective. He's just happy to be alive. 

In this season of hope, I couldn’t imagine him being left on the streets or in a shelter in this condition. Thank you all in advance for being a part of Hector’s recovery and helping him get his lifeback ♥️