My name is Michael, and I’m reaching out because I’m facing one of the hardest times in my life. I’ve struggled with depression for years—it runs in my family, and I lost my grandfather to suicide. For a long time, I battled addiction, but I got sober at 30 and have worked hard to rebuild my life. I held the same job for four years, but in September, I was let go. Since then, I’ve been doing everything I can to get by, from working Grubhub to trying to earn on TikTok, but it’s just not enough.

I live with a roommate and have an old car with over 200,000 miles that desperately needs new tires and repairs. My car insurance is a big expense, and I don’t have a generous family to lean on, so it’s all on me to cover rent, insurance, gas, and the basics. On top of everything, I have tinnitus from a car accident, which makes daily life even more challenging. I’m scared and overwhelmed, but I’m not giving up. I’m actively looking for work, but most jobs pay minimum wage, and it’s not enough to survive. I work long hours and make pennies, but I’m determined to keep going.

If you’re able to help, your support would mean the world to me. I’m doing my best to get back on my feet, but I can’t do it alone. Thank you for reading my story and considering a donation. Your kindness and generosity can help me get through this difficult time and give me hope for a better future. I used make 3k a month on TikTok but they cut pay to basically 0 and it is ironic how before I went to rehab I was doing great and past 6 months been toughest I’ve had. Thanks