My brother Keith’s life was turned upside down when the recent devastating hurricane hit the Gulf Coast of Florida. Keith had been living with our mother, recovering from a femur fracture he suffered last year while training for his first Ironman, and working hard to build his career as an independent life and health insurance broker. But when the storm hit, everything he had worked for was destroyed.

As the water began rushing into the house, Keith had no choice but to leave everything behind. When the water reached waist level, he had to jump out of a window and wade through the rising floodwaters to reach our neighbor’s two-story house for safety. In just a matter of hours, the storm wiped out his brand-new MacBook (which he relies on for work), all of his clothes and personal belongings, his scooter used for commuting when working in Orlando, his furniture, and both of the bikes he trains with for triathlons.

Because Keith was living with our mom, he didn’t have renters insurance, leaving him with no way to recover anything. He and my mom are now staying with us, and as a family, we’re all working together to clean out our mother’s home, going through a lifetime of personal belongings and cherished memories, including irreplaceable keepsakes from our late father.

Keith is proud and independent and would never ask for help himself, but the reality is, he needs it more than ever. His work is 100% commission-based, and without the tools he needs for his job, he’s unable to move forward. I’m setting up this GoFundMe to ask for your help in supporting Keith as he tries to rebuild his life.

Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a huge difference in helping him get back on his feet. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and support during this incredibly difficult time.