Help our friends avoid homelessness or worse!

Our names are Dave and Carolyn. Our hearts go out to the many families that have been directly or indirectly financially devastated by COVID-19, healthcare costs, inflation, and explosive housing costs. This is just one story of many. Let's try to help as many of these humans as possible regain their dignity, hope, and ability to be responsible for themselves.

In 2003, our friends Shaun and Heidi opened a small computer store on Hawaii Island. Many in the community turned to Shaun for all their computer needs and “fixes.” Heidi used her metalsmith skills to provide beautifully crafted jewelry to shops at local resorts.

In 2007, they welcomed their son into their world. Life was good. They worked hard and loved a lot. Their son grew up “in the business,” homeschooled, and charming all Dad’s customers! It was a dream come true when they’d saved enough to buy a house for their family.

Their happy life faced tough challenges when in 2017, Heidi started experiencing joint issues that disabled her from using her hands to work. When her entire body seemed to betray her, she spent most of her time in bed. After testing and treatment options covered by her insurance were exhausted, she turned to alternative medicine. Without her income and the expensive medical treatments, Heidi and Shaun found themselves behind on their mortgage.

It was a lot for Shaun and their son to keep up with the business, school, and all the household work. But it was nearly impossible when Shaun fell ill and was diagnosed with kidney disease. Although he was exhausted, and his legs and feet were swollen, Shaun worked. He took their son with him, helping with his homeschooling and his emotions as both parents were very ill.

It was 2019 before Heidi found a doctor with a treatment that worked for her. After several months of recovery, she began to ease back into work. By this time, their house was in foreclosure. Despite their efforts to make arrangements with the lender, they faced the fact they would have to leave their house.

By 2021, Shaun’s kidney disease was no longer showing, and Heidi was doing much better. Then COVID-19 hit, and their incomes suffered greatly. They could no longer afford the high cost of living in Hawaii. They tried to sell the business with no success.

In 2022 Shaun found a partner for the business and could work remotely. The family moved to northern Idaho. With everyone healthy, they were excited about their new start. They rented a home, Shaun worked remotely, and Heidi was back to making jewelry. Shaun reunited with extended family living there. It all seemed to be working out well.

But on February 27, 2023, Shaun experienced the worst pain of his life and was taken to the ER, where the doctors discovered serious issues with his pancreas. After two weeks in the hospital, he was sent home.

Ten days later, the pain recurred, resulting in another ER visit and another two weeks in the hospital, and home again. Just four days after that, Shaun passed out, fell, and hit his head. In the ER, he was told he had sepsis and was transferred to a larger hospital with pancreatic specialists. Shaun lost forty pounds and was malnourished and anemic when he finally went home.

Four days later, Shaun was back in the ER after passing out again. This time, he had bleeding ulcers. He was given nine pints of blood to keep him alive. It was a success but a scary time for Shaun and his loved ones. He survived and returned home.

In Shaun’s words, this is where he finds himself today,

“The difficulty we have now is that I can’t work and haven’t since February, and my wife can’t work as she needs to monitor me 24/7. We have no income, and rent, food, and bills totaling about $3500 a month. I can’t lose health insurance as I still have procedures I need to get. If we became homeless, I would not survive. We are trying to do anything and everything possible to stay off the street and keep going for the next few months until we can get back to the point of working and paying our own way. It has now been two weeks since I left the hospital. I walk 3 to 4 times daily and do strengthening exercises daily to strengthen. I now have the stamina to go shopping with my wife and am doing all I can to get stronger.

We need the time for me to heal."

Thank you for taking the time to read this.”

Our target of $21,000 is equal to six months of Shaun's stated monthly expenses. Please pray for this family and donate what you can. They have been there for others when their pockets were fuller. Let's get them back on their feet!

Heidi just told me he is back in the ER/hospital with an infection. More prayers, please!

Update 06/12/23. Shaun is home.  His pancreas seems to be healing, and they are hopeful that they are on the road to recovery.