My name is Tom, and I am raising funds to help my lifelong friend, Jason Stroot, relocate from Doylestown, Pennsylvania to Greenbrier, Tennessee so I can become his caregiver.
Jason and I have been friends for 35 years. We met at Eastern Illinois University where we were both Construction Technology majors. From college forward, we have shared a bond that carried us through every major chapter of life. When I was 22 years old and lost my father to pancreatic cancer, Jason stood by my side and provided the shoulder I needed to lean on. He had lost his mother to a heart arrhythmia while battling breast cancer a few years before, so he knew what I was going through.
More than 20 years ago, Jason began struggling with serious mental and emotional issues. After years of unanswered questions, he was finally diagnosed with Wilson’s Disease — a rare genetic disorder that causes copper to build up in the liver and brain. When untreated, it can lead to liver failure and severe neurological and psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety, confusion, personality changes, and cognitive decline.
By the time doctors discovered this, Jason’s liver was functioning at only 3%.
When Jason told me how serious his condition had become, I immediately flew from Chicago to Portland to be with him. By fate, I happened to be sitting beside him when the hospital called to say they had a donor liver available. I was there when he received that life-saving call, helped get him to the hospital, and shuttled his family in from the airport so they could be with him. He received a liver transplant 19 years ago. It was nothing short of a miracle.
Jason recovered, had a child, and eventually settled in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Fifteen years ago, while visiting family in Central Illinois, Jason suffered another devastating medical event when an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in his brain ruptured. Doctors were forced to remove a fist-sized portion of his brain, damaging much of his frontal lobe. Against all odds, Jason survived.
He lost the ability to talk, eat, and move. Everything had to be relearned.
I spent a month and a half living in the hospital with Jason, attending therapy with him every day and helping teach him how to speak, read, write, chew food, and swallow water again. Day by day, step by step, we fought our way back together. That experience changed both of our lives forever.
Today, Jason lives with permanent cognitive and physical challenges. Damage to his frontal lobe makes everyday tasks overwhelming — organizing thoughts, managing appointments, and coping with social anxiety. On top of this, his transplanted liver has now developed cirrhosis, and his health continues to decline.
Jason currently survives on SSI, which does not cover the rent on his small studio apartment. He receives about $250 a month in SNAP benefits for food. I supplement this with weekly cash so he can afford clothing, groceries, and basic necessities. He currently walks or uses Uber to attend his many medical appointments — liver specialists, blood draws, MRIs, and endoscopies.
This is no way for someone in his condition to live alone.
Jason’s greatest love in life is his son, Cedar, who will be heading off to college this August. This is one of the main reasons Jason is willing to make this move — so he can remain stable, supported, and present in his son’s life. I have promised Jason that I will help ensure he and Cedar stay closely connected through visits, calls, and travel.
My goal is to bring Jason to Tennessee and place him in a small trailer on the back of my property so he can have his own space, but still be close enough for me to care for him every day. I will personally handle his transportation to medical appointments and help him manage his daily life safely and with dignity. I will set him up with the appropriate doctors in TN and make sure he is qualified for inclusion on the liver transplant list.
Jason has always loved the woods and the outdoors and feels a deep spiritual connection with nature. His new home will sit next to the woods behind my property, where he can spend time outside, look out over the valley, and find peace in an environment that truly comforts him.
The funds raised will be used to:
Make a down payment on a small trailer.
Cover relocation costs from Pennsylvania to Tennessee.
Set up utilities and basic living needs.
Ensure consistent access to medical care.
I am hoping to raise $20,000 to make this possible.
Jason was there for me when I was at my lowest point in life. I stood beside him when he had to relearn how to speak and eat. I was there when he received his new liver. And I will not give up on him now.
He is not alone. He never has been. And he never will be.
Any donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward giving Jason a safe home, a peaceful environment, and the care he desperately needs. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
With gratitude,
Tom