Jessie and I have been together for almost five years. We met in active addiction to fentanyl and meth while we were both living on the street. What started in the darkest time of our lives turned into a love that saved me.

When I met Jessie, I was broken, depressed, and completely numb. He gave me a reason to live again. He loved me when I couldn’t love myself and showed me that my life could be different.

Not long after we fell in love, he told me something he had been afraid to share — he had been living with chronic endocarditis, a life-threatening heart condition. He didn’t tell me at first because he was scared of losing me.

We survived three years of homelessness together while holding onto one dream: to get sober and build a real future.

For the last two years, we fought to make that happen.

Getting clean without insurance or stability is almost impossible, especially after I turned 26 and lost coverage under my parents’ plan. But we didn’t give up. We finally found a program, detoxed, got off fentanyl, and entered sober living.

For the first time in our lives, we were doing well.

We were happy.

We were proud of ourselves.

We had hope.

Then our insurance suddenly ended and we were forced to leave treatment before we were ready. It was devastating and completely unexpected.

We now have the opportunity to go back. We need to be in treatment for 4 months to build a strong and stable foundation in our recovery — and during those four months Jessie will be able to receive the consistent medical care he urgently needs.

Because in the middle of all of this, we received the most heartbreaking news:

Jessie has been diagnosed with stage 2 stomach cancer.

After years of fighting a serious heart condition, and just as we got sober and started changing our lives, he is now facing cancer.

Those four months in treatment are not just about protecting our sobriety — they are the critical window for Jessie to:

See the specialists he needs

Begin and maintain cancer care

Continue treatment for his heart condition

Go to medical appointments consistently in a stable environment

The insurance that will allow us to return costs $468.80 per month.

Our goal is $3,000, which will cover:

4 months of insurance ($1,875.20) so we can return to treatment

Medical visits, medications, and transportation for Jessie’s cancer and heart care

Basic living needs while we focus on recovery and keeping him alive

Jessie is the reason I am alive today. He stood by me through homelessness, addiction, detox, and recovery. He never gave up on me — and I will never give up on him.

We have come too far to go backwards.

If you can donate, share, or keep us in your prayers, you are helping give Jessie a real chance to fight this cancer and helping both of us hold on to the life we have worked so hard to build.

Thank you for believing in second chances.

Thank you for believing in recovery.

Thank you for believing in us.

With love and gratitude,

Alana & Jessie