Support Ken’s Vision Recovery & Essential Living Costs

Hey, everyone! I'm Ken. First time ever doing anything like this, so thank you kindly for listening to my story and understanding why I'm reaching out for some much-needed help.

Here's What I'm Facing:

Emergency retina surgery in October has kept me out of work the past 2 months, with 2 more surgeries ahead before I can fully return to work

The only jobs I've been able to find recently are independent contract and gig work, so - I was denied disability.

Asking for $11,400 to cover 3 months of basic living expenses while I recover.

Exciting jobs on the way in May 2026 - I need time to heal so I can get be ready for them.

Here's My Story:

On October 21st, I was hiking along a familiar trail in the northern Hollywood Hills with a close friend. As we chased the sunset and the trail got darker, I noticed something was definitely going wrong with my left eye. There were intense flashes of light despite the dusk, and a crescent-shaped grey blur had crept into my peripheral vision. Over the previous weekend, I'd noticed minor things with my eye - two distinct, persistent tiny dark spots had appeared, and the usual floaters were getting bigger - but figured I would just schedule an eye exam the next day. Probably my contact lens, no big deal.

Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred in the previous days and weeks to cause alarm. But my gut was telling me something serious was happening.

I woke up the next morning to a vibrant magenta curve slowly spreading across my field of vision in my left eye. I called my doctor for an appointment. While I waited for him to call back, the magenta shape grew steadily larger. When I finally heard from my doctor, he told me to get to an emergency room immediately. Like NOW. He felt sure he knew what it was: my left retina was starting to detach.

Go time. I rushed to UCLA's emergency department, getting pretty scared. Two doctors confirmed it was my retina detaching. I needed emergency surgery right away, or I might lose sight in that eye.

The fantastic UCLA retinal specialist team got me into the operating room the next day, where Dr. Adrian C. Au used multiple advanced surgical techniques to repair my eye before permanent damage occurred. Success in the nick of time. So lucky.

I was discharged and told to rest and heal up. No heavy lifting, no strenuous activity. No driving. Doctor's orders.

That was October 23rd, 2025. I haven't been able to work since.

Who I Am

I'm in show business. But not the glamorous part.

For 20 years, I've been a creative media tech, doing editing, color, and VFX work for movies and TV shows - all while pursuing my dream of writing and producing my own projects.

I've enjoyed many great and rewarding years in this crazy business and endured even more tough and thankless years, especially since the COVID lockdowns forced the closing of the company my friends and I had founded and poured our work, passion, and reputations into for 8 years.

Then strikes shut the industry down. Like so many other talented, hardworking people in Hollywood, I haven't had a job in almost 3 years. I've applied to over 200 positions, casting a wide net and still at it every day. But even with an extensive resume and the support of longtime colleagues, no offers. So for the past 2 years and change, I've been working at a friend's moving company - hauling furniture, dollying boxes, driving trucks. Between moving jobs, I drove for Uber and took freelance gigs on friends' media projects whenever they asked. Despite my best efforts, it still just isn't enough.

My savings are gone. Credit cards maxed. All unnecessary expenses cut. Fighting to keep my head above water. Definitely not the career path I'd planned for my life and my family.

What Happened

Following the surgery, the financial stress was immediate. Two months recovery to be sure my left eye is healing properly, and at least another month to fix the cataracts they found during my exams.

Three months. No moving. No Uber. No income at all.

I missed out on several very lucrative moving jobs in October and November. Working at a computer screen forces me to lean in just inches away because my vision is still very blurry, and every 20 minutes I have to stop due to back pain and eye strain headaches.

There are still flashes of light, wrinkled patterns, and large cloudy blind spots in my left eye that feel like something is moving next to me, or someone is standing there. I'm still months away from the clear sight I need to work on professional media projects.

The Road Ahead

On December 3rd, I had preventive laser surgery on my right eye to stabilize the other retina. Definitely don't want to go through all this again anytime soon.

In January 2026, I'm scheduled for cataract lens replacement surgery on that eye.

My left eye cataract surgery can't be scheduled until the retina fully heals - which doctors say will take another 2-3 months from now, possibly longer.

I might be able to return to limited work at the moving company in 2 months, but not for certain.

I have three film project jobs on the horizon, the first of which is planned for May 2026, that I'm super excited about. I really hope I'm fully healed and ready by then. None of it is in my hands.

Why I'm Asking for Help

I applied for state disability insurance with the full support of my doctors, but it didn't matter. I was denied because my recent work history is all independent contracting. I've filed for other support programs, but they all seem to be focused on limited, specific help for people in extreme circumstances and desperate need.

I thought I'd explored every option I could think of, when several close friends suggested I start a GoFundMe to help cover my expenses during these months spent recovering from surgery.

Rent: $1,500

Car payment: $600

Insurance & medical copays: $300

Utilities & phone: $200

Food: $700

Transportation & other essentials: $500

Total per month: $3,800

I'm asking for help covering three months of basic living expenses: $11,400

This will give me the time and breathing room I need to heal properly without panicking about getting served eviction notices, or losing my car, or choosing between Ubering to a medical appointment or paying my phone bill. I want to focus clearly on my recovery so I can get back to work.

I want to be connected and present with my friends and family during the holidays and the new year.

I want to not feel stressed out and scared all the time about what I'm going to do.

How You Can Help

If you're able to contribute financially to support my recovery from surgeries and getting my vision clear, even $20 or $50 makes a real difference. Sharing this page with your social network also helps tremendously!

And if all you're able to offer right now is keeping me in your thoughts and wishing for a fast and full recovery, it means a great deal and I genuinely appreciate it.

I'm not giving up on my career or myself - but I need help getting through this unexpected medical emergency.

Thank you for reading this. Thank you for whatever you're able to contribute. Thank you for being here, and wanting to help.

I am so incredibly grateful and humbled by the care of the ophthalmology and retina teams at UCLA, the benefits of California health care, and the amazing support of my friends and family who have gone above and beyond for me.

Wishing you happy holidays and a joyful New Year!

- Ken