Orlando needs help hospital bills and stolen tools

Hi, my name is Debra Fantz and I'd like to ask you to consider helping my friend Orlando Cepeda Sandoval and his crew.

This page was started last week when Orlando had his tools stolen. 

UPDATE: Today he was working on the trees at my house and his safety rope came loose. He fell about 15 feet and landed on his chain saw. Luckily it wasn't running but he was badly hurt. Although he has liability insurance for his crew and coverage for accidental damage to homeowners property while they work, I don't believe this covers him. His crew doesn't believe he has an insurance policy for himself. I just found out he will be in n the hospital for several days. 

I laid out below a Quick Read on why he needs help, his backstory, an idea to give him hope for his future, as well as a testament to his character.

FYI I am only the organizer for this fundraiser. Orlando is the individual who is benefiting and will be withdrawing the money. I've been trying to figure out how to change that in order to clear up any confusion.

Thank you for your consideration of giving him a hand up.

Why he needs help:

Orlando owns Orlando's Tree Services and has been caring for my trees and my neighbor's trees for the past 4 years. We met when he was going door to door drumming up business.

He has quite a story, and I believe if anyone ever deserves a hand up instead of a hand out; he definitely qualifies.

Last week while working on my neighbor's house someone stole his tools. (I have a neighbor who has some anger management issues and didn't like the way Orlando's truck was parked. We believe he did it but can't prove it.)

An industrial chainsaw and an industrial blower was taken as well as the key to the wood chipper.

While helping him talk to the police and explain the situation, Orlando went from someone who just trimmed my trees to becomming a friend.

I learned his story and my heart was touched.

The Back Story:

He came to America as a teenager without speaking ANY English. He attended High School and was intending to go to college when he got news that his mother back in Mexico had cancer. He returned to take care of her until she passed away.

He came back to the United States, got married, and started to build a life. He worked several odd jobs until he could start his own business.

In case you're wondering, somewhere during this process he did become a United States citizen and worked very hard to learn English.

I also learned that just a few weeks before someone had smashed out the windows of his truck and other tools had been stolen.

The insurance he had on his truck will not cover the theft.

This accounts for $7,000 which he is going to have to work to replace.

The chainsaw and industrial blower stolen in the second incident belonged to his friend who had lent it to him so he and his crew could continue working.

All of the chaos and having to get a new specialized key for the chipper caused his crew to lose 2 days of work. This equates to another $3,000.

Hope for the Future:

I learned that Orlando is 50 years old. He might have the ability to climb way up into the trees and heft a chainsaw for another 10 years.

There is no retirement plan, unless something changes...

Orlando borrows the chipper and a truck from a friend since Grapevine, TX requires all landscapers to haul wood away.

Orlando pays the man who lets him use his equipment him HALF of all of his earnings.

At the very least, I would love to see this fundraiser replace the lost work that these men depend on to feed their families.

It would be a complete godsend if enough was raised that he was able to have his own chipper, truck and all tools needed so that he could make a life instead of just making a living.

His Character:

He is a good man. I found out that one of his clients was an elderly woman who could not really afford to have a tree removed that landed on her house. When she gave Orlando the check to pay him she had tears in her eyes. She's basically emptied out her bank account. Orlando gave his crew each the money he owed them and tore up her check and just told her to pass it on.

I truly hope that this will be able to get him funded to where he has the financial room to do that type of thing more often.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.