A Marine Who Gave Everything

My name is Mike Lang, and I'm a fellow Marine. Six weeks ago, a mutual friend asked me to reach out to Jarryd because he could tell Jarryd was in a bad place. What started as one Marine checking on another has become one of the most meaningful friendships of my life. Jarryd has become like family to me and my kids, who think of him as an uncle.

But right now, Jarryd is barely hanging on, and he needs our help.

The Sacrifice

Jarryd is 36 years old and a proud Marine Corps veteran. During his service, Jarryd was severely injured during different operations. Those injuries changed everything. Today, he's 100% disabled through the VA, facing multiple surgeries including shoulder surgery (possibly both shoulders), additional back and knee surgeries, ankle surgery, and repair of a broken nose with severe deviated septum. He's already endured spinal surgery and knee surgery, but there's more ahead.

The physical injuries are only part of the story. Jarryd also carries the invisible wounds of PTSD, depression, and anxiety—not just from combat, but from losing fellow Marines both in combat and to suicide after their service. As a squad leader, Jarryd was supposed to deploy with his unit on a mission that ended in tragedy. Several of his Marines were killed, and another lost both legs. Jarryd wasn't there, and the survivor's guilt haunts him every day. He can't help but feel that if he had been there, maybe he could have made a difference. These are wounds that don't show on the outside, but they're just as real and just as debilitating.

Alone in the Fight

Here's something that makes Jarryd's situation even more desperate: he has no family. No parents. No grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins. No support system at all. It's just him, his son CJ, and Arianna. That's it. When life gets hard, there's no family to call, no safety net to fall back on. He's facing all of this completely alone.

Fighting for His Son

Jarryd is a man of principle who always does what's right. When his son CJ was taken to California at age 12, Jarryd fought through a grueling three-year legal battle to bring him home. He sold everything he owned to make it happen—that's the kind of father and man he is.

For three years, he faced false accusation after false accusation, disproving each one while the stress nearly destroyed him. He developed an eating disorder and lost 60 pounds in two months, weight he's never regained. The legal fees left him with crushing debt he's still paying off today. But Jarryd never gave up, and eventually, the judge saw the truth. The court awarded CJ back to his father here in Ohio, recognizing that Jarryd was the parent his son needed. That victory came at an enormous cost, but Jarryd would do it all again because that's who he is.

He gave up alcohol over six years ago, not because he had a problem, but because he knew he was a better man without it. He was once an incredible athlete with potential football scholarships, but he chose to serve his country instead. Everything Jarryd does is guided by doing what's right.

A Lifeline Named Arianna

For the past four years, Jarryd has been in a relationship with Arianna, a firefighter and EMT. She's been his rock through the darkest times, and together they've built something beautiful—a chance at the family and future Jarryd deserves after everything he's sacrificed.

But Arianna lives in Yuma, Arizona, with her 9-year-old son, and they can't afford to make the move to Ohio. Jarryd needs her here—not just emotionally, but practically. He can't get his necessary surgeries until Arianna is here to help him through the months of recovery. Without her, he's stuck in a painful holding pattern, his body breaking down while he waits. With no family to help him, Arianna is literally his only option for support through surgery and recovery.

Then, just last Friday, Arianna was in a serious car accident. Another driver ran a red light and slammed into her at 45-50 mph. She was rushed to the hospital and is still in pain, now facing her own medical bills and likely needing a new vehicle. What was already an impossible financial situation just became even more desperate.

Why We're Asking for Help

Jarryd recently told me: "I don't know how much longer I'll financially make it. I'm not sleeping. I'm not eating. I feel like my body is literally shutting down—no support system, no purpose."

That text broke my heart because I've watched this incredible man give everything to his country, fight for his family, and show up for others even when he can barely stand himself. He's been there for my kids. He's shown me what true character looks like. Now he needs us.

The reality is, Jarryd is struggling with the most basic needs. The 60 pounds he lost years ago? He never gained it back. His clothes don't fit. He can barely see—the VA only covers eye exams, and the glasses they provided left a permanent scar on the bridge of his nose and don't even help him see properly. These are five-dollar glasses from China that a man who served his country has to rely on because he can't afford better.

While the VA covers his physical surgeries, it doesn't cover the mental health treatment he desperately needs for his PTSD, depression, and anxiety. These treatments are essential to his recovery, but they're not provided, leaving him to struggle alone with wounds that are just as serious as his physical injuries.

This GoFundMe is about giving Jarryd a fighting chance at the life he deserves. Here's what your donation will help provide:

What Your Donation Will Provide:

Moving costs to bring Arianna and her son from Yuma to Ohio (~$7,000-$10,000)

Furnishing their apartment so they can create a home for their blended family

Financial support while Arianna searches for a permanent firefighter/EMT position in Ohio

Mental health treatment for PTSD, depression, and anxiety that the VA doesn't cover

Surgery for Ziggy, Jarryd's American Staffordshire companion, who needs a tumor removed and ongoing medication (~$2,000)

Down payment on a vehicle for Arianna after her accident

Basic necessities: Proper eyeglasses so Jarryd can actually see, and clothing that fits after his 60-pound weight loss

Recovery support during his upcoming surgeries (special medical chair, food, basics during months of recovery)

Moving Forward, Together

This isn't about looking back at everything Jarryd has lost. This is about looking forward to what he can build. With Arianna by his side, Jarryd can finally get the surgeries he needs. He can access the mental health treatment that will help him heal from the invisible wounds of war. He can have the support system that's been missing his entire life. He can be the partner, father figure, and man he's always strived to be.

Jarryd gave his body in service to this country. He fought through the courts for his son, selling everything he owned and disproving years of false accusations to bring CJ home. The judge saw the truth and awarded CJ back to his father, but that victory came at an enormous cost that Jarryd is still paying. He's been a devoted friend to me and a beloved uncle figure to my children. Now, when he needs help the most, I'm asking our community to stand with him.

Every dollar brings Arianna one step closer to Ohio. Every dollar brings Jarryd one step closer to healing—physically and mentally. Every dollar is an investment in a Marine who has given everything and just needs a chance to rebuild.

From One Marine to Another

In the Marines, we learned that we never leave a fellow Marine behind. Jarryd served his country with honor, was severely injured in service to his missions, and has been fighting ever since. He carries the weight of brothers lost in combat and to suicide, and the guilt of not being there when his unit needed him most. He's facing all of this with no family to support him—no parents, no extended family, just the family he's trying to build with Arianna and the kids.

He's not asking for a handout—he's asking for a hand up so he can finally move forward with his life.

If you can contribute, thank you. If you can share this campaign, thank you. And if you can keep Jarryd, Arianna, and Ziggy in your thoughts, thank you.

Let's help a good man get back on his feet.

Semper Fi,

Mike Lang

Note: Jarryd is 100% disabled through the VA, and his physical surgeries will be covered by VA healthcare. However, the VA does not cover the mental health treatments he needs for PTSD, depression, and anxiety. These funds are for the mental health care the VA won't provide, the life expenses that will allow him to receive his physical care, moving his support system here, surviving during recovery, and building the foundation for a new chapter.