John and I have shared a close friendship for nearly 45 years, ever since I worked for his father. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how generous and selfless John is—always willing to lend a hand or offer support to anyone in need. He served as Chief of his local volunteer fire department, making over a thousand EMS calls and dedicating countless hours to helping his community. If a friend needed help, John was always there, no questions asked.

Unfortunately, John’s health has taken a serious toll on his life. He’s battled severe back pain for years, relying on prescription medications that eventually caused significant damage to his stomach and pancreas. Diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and chronic gastritis, John faces frequent, debilitating flare-ups that leave him unable to work for days at a time. In 2020, he underwent a 10-hour spinal fusion surgery in hopes of relief, but the pain has only worsened, further limiting his ability to stand or walk for long periods. This has made it nearly impossible for him to maintain steady employment.

Last summer, John’s situation became even more dire. He was sick for much of the season, and when the transmission on his car failed, he lost his ability to work with DoorDash and Uber—his main sources of income. In November 2025 John lost his rental condo. A few months of staying with friends helped for a while. For a few months in 2026 John was able to manage cheaper motels and a rental car to keep working with Doordash but that is very expensive and was week to week working 7 days a week. On missed week due to his illness blew the whole thing up. With no assistance available from local agencies, neither Social services nor private charities, (he was not seeking asylum or a domestic violence victim) John has been staying outdoors since late April. The funds raised with your support will help him relocate to a more affordable place in the South. Any help will make a real difference in John’s life as he works to regain stability and health.