DECEMBER 8TH 2025 UPDATE

Hello everyone, this is Rory!

We originally made the GoFundMe to raise money for my power wheelchair, which has completely changed my life and I think is already helping to slow my physical decline. Thank you so much to everyone who helped us meet that original goal! We have now decided to utilize this GoFundMe to raise money for any future medical emergencies and expenses I may face moving forward. We are extending the goal by $1000 for now. This is for me to have some financial security to fall back on in case of medical emergency and/or expense while I am waiting for Social Security to process and hopefully approve me for disability benefits.

To give an update on my health. While my decline has slowed in the past month since getting my power wheelchair, I am not in the best shape even so. My spine and neck are extremely unstable and have been getting worse rapidly since August when I had a visit to the ER because of spinal issues. I had another visit to the ER unfortunately in October, when my ribcage subluxated out of place. We met the goal for the wheelchair shortly after that ER trip, and it has been a huge relief for my body to have it, though my spine, ribs, hips, and neck still give me grief every day. Thankfully I am seeing a tethered cord specialist very soon and hope to have answers and treatment options in the near future. I wish I had better news, but I appreciate the support more than anything.

Thank you so much for your help, and also happy holidays. Take care.

Best,

Rory

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ORIGINAL GOFUNDME DESCRIPTION AUGUST 24TH 2025

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Hi, my name is Nicole. My partner Rory and I really need your help. He has a degenerative connective tissue disorder that in August of 2024, progressed to the point where he could no longer walk, after his hips completely destabilized. We have been managing with his walker/push chair to get him from place to place ever since, and having a power chair would truly give him some of his freedom back. His physical therapist determined that his wrists are too unstable for a manual wheelchair, and so we began seeking insurance approval for a power chair.

After dealing with getting the prescription for the wheelchair, getting insurance approval and then waiting months for the appointment, we were told at said appointment that we are not eligible after all, the reason being that we live on the second floor of a building with no elevator to bring a wheelchair easily in/outside. The more portable power chairs are not covered by insurance at all. They told us that ultimately, we need to buy a portable option out of pocket. This was extremely frustrating because our living situation was made clear through every step of the process before the appointment, and we were reassured that it would pose no issue.

This was back in March, and naturally Rory felt very defeated. He struggled to face starting the search for the correct chair and then begin fundraising for it while his health continued to deteriorate. It is hard to show up and ask for help, but he is feeling ready now. You may have even found this fundraiser through one of his videos. Please keep him in your heart, these days, each video alone takes great effort for him! We are just barely getting by. Rory had to stop working last year because of his condition and lost his source of income, which has been very hard, but what has been even more difficult for him is that he has lost his freedom, his autonomy, his dreams… Please help us to get Rory a power wheelchair so that he can get some of his autonomy back, which is something he is really struggling with. Thank you so much!

The chair we are fundraising for is the Jazzy Ultra Light by Pride Mobility. The base price of the chair is $3000, our fundraiser is set to $4000 to cover any gofundme fees as well as to purchase a service contract with the power chair to cover repairs.