Help Me Get Back to Key West and Start My Life Again

Life can change in an instant. On October 23rd, 2024, I was on my way to get dog food my dog Bark before work in Key West when I was hit by a van while riding my scooter. I don’t remember much—just the impact, the pain, and then the paramedics cutting the clothes off my body before loading me into an ambulance / helicopter. When I woke up in the hospital in Miami, all I had left was my wallet and the shoes I was wearing. Everything else—my housing, my job, my dog, my plans for the future—gone.

I was transferred to a hospital in Miami and eventually went to Michigan for long-term rehabilitation. At first, I thought I’d be able to recover quickly and go back. But as time passed, it became clear that the life I had been building was slipping away. I wasn’t there to pack up, so I don’t even know what I have left or what’s gone forever. I had to give up custody of my dog because I had no way to take care of him. If I make it back, I can share him with my friend, but it will never be the same.

I Was on the Brink of Something Big

Before the accident, I was finally getting somewhere. I had worked hard to position myself to launch my own business, something I had been working toward for a long time. I had spent years gaining experience, making connections, and laying the foundation. I wasn’t just dreaming about success—I was on the edge of making it happen.

And then, just like that, everything stopped. Instead of launching my business and growing something of my own, I was stuck in hospitals and nursing homes, watching everything I had worked for disappear. The momentum I had built was gone, and now I’m in a place I never planned to be, trying to figure out how to get back to where I belong.

What I Need Help With

I’m not asking for help to rebuild—I can do that on my own once I get there. But I need help getting back. After months of being unable to work, I have no savings left, no transportation, and no way to afford the costs of moving back to Key West and securing a place to live. Rent is expensive, and starting over from nothing in one of the most competitive places in Florida isn’t easy.

Your support will help me:

Cover travel costs to return to Key West

Secure a place to live so I have a foundation to start from

Afford basic necessities while I get settled

Launch my business the way I had planned before the accident changed everything

Why This Matters

I’m not looking for long-term support or a safety net—I just need a chance to get back on my feet. Once I’m back, I can take it from there. I’ll be able to work, grow my business, and build the success I was on the verge of before this happened. But I don’t think I can do it without help getting there.

If you’ve ever had everything feel like it was finally falling into place, only to have it all ripped away, you know how hard it is to start again. I just want the opportunity to get back to where I was so I can move forward. Any donation, no matter how small, will make a difference. If you can’t donate, sharing this page would mean just as much.

Thank you for reading, for supporting, and for helping me take the first step toward getting my life back.