After over a year of seeing multiple specialists both locally and in other states for John’s debilitating back pain and other symptoms, he has finally received a diagnosis: tethered cord. This is a condition where the spinal cord, which should be free floating in the spinal column, is attached to surrounding tissues. This can restrict movement, cause severe pain due to the spinal cord being pulled, and lead to neurological symptoms and damage.


John is scheduled to have surgery on March 11, 2026, in Rhode Island. We are still paying on medical expenses from last year, and his deductible and out-of-pocket costs have now started over for the new year. This means we will have a large amount that needs to be paid in order for John to have the surgery he needs. In addition to medical expenses, we will also need to pay for gas to get to Rhode Island and a place to stay while we are there. We expect to stay in Rhode Island for nearly two weeks after surgery until John is cleared by his surgeon to travel back home to Arkansas.


John’s symptoms have progressed significantly, and he has been out of work on short-term disability since October 2025. He is limited in how much he can do in a day—sometimes even a trip to the grocery store leaves him in so much pain that he needs to spend the rest of the day in bed. He’s no longer able to do the things he enjoys. John needs this surgery to prevent further progression of his symptoms and more permanent neurological damage. His surgeon is optimistic that he will have good results, though some permanent nerve damage may already have occurred. We would greatly appreciate any help we can get in covering these expenses. John wants to get his life back, return to work, and enjoy hiking again. Even short, paved trails are difficult for him now, which is hard mentally, especially since just 18 months ago he was able to hike Angels Landing at Zion National Park. Your support would mean the world to us.