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Our friend Randy Porter needs our help. Randy was once an aspiring professional golfer. He was club champion at 11 years old and the youngest player in the Florida State Open at 12. He won several golf scholarships to colleges in Florida and California when he was suddenly struck down by a mysterious but debilitating injury. The tragic end of his career put him on a trajectory toward disability and homelessness. After many years of frustrating doctors visits and a lack of a diagnosis, Randy was finally diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).
AS is an inflammatory, progressive autoimmune condition much like arthritis. Over time, AS can cause the spine to fuse, and without proper care and treatment can lead to permanent spinal damage. Randy has been bound to crutches, and requires a high level of care that his disability payments are unable to cover. Randy’s doctors have stated that Randy requires a skilled nursing facility to handle his treatment, but at the moment he is living in hotel rooms, barely scraping by.
Although Randy has lost his ability to work and play his favorite sport, he has never lost the power of hope. Now 65, Randy has done all that he can to get any help the state can provide. He has reached out to the county for housing assistance, but as we all know, there is very little available in this area, much less so for individuals with few means. Even with disability payments, the cost of housing is so high that Randy is surviving day by day in hotel rooms.
Randy’s story is not an uncommon one. Many Americans are only one paycheck away from deep financial trouble or even homelessness. But with the power of our community, we can get Randy the care he needs.
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Randy Porter’s Personal Plea for Your Help –
I have always believed that perhaps the greatest psychological, spiritual and even medical support that all us may have is hope. The curative power of the human mind fired by hope is a truly powerful force. The other side of this, of course, is that when hope dies, despair may overwhelm someone.
I need your help. You may have heard it said, “there but for fortune may go you or I.” It might have been me that statement refers to. Through misfortune and no fault of my own, life has dealt me a pretty tough hand. I am 65, homeless, without family and I am disabled, suffering from a painful spinal disease. It is called Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). As a result of AS and other debilitating problems life has gotten increasingly harder as I have gotten older. I once was athletic and vigorous. Now, my body is failing me as the vertebrae in my spine are gradually fusing making me hunch over and causing pain, stiffness and inflammation in my joints and ligaments. This condition renders me incapable of doing so many basic tasks I used to take for granted such as driving. I cannot work and having exhausted my savings years ago and having no family support, I am unable to survive on the small amount I receive from disability each month (about $1000 per month).
My doctor insists I should be in a skilled nursing home, but I can’t even afford a motel room. I have survived during COVID by sleeping in an abandoned car in a church parking lot. I have been lucky in getting away with that for some time, but I know I am not going to be able to continue that much longer. I reached out for help with the County and there is no housing available for me. While housing is my immediate concern, the bigger issue is that funds are sorely needed for medical therapies my doctor tells me are essential to address my medical issues. Such therapy would slow AS’s degenerative progress and is necessary to maintain my health in the long term, but is something my government healthcare does not cover. Without it, my doctor portends my condition will worsen quicker, my pain and stiffness will become unbearable and I will not be able to survive living like I have for the past few years.
I’m in a life-threatening situation. I am hoping you can help. Please help me.
- Randy
“Hope is the medicine I use more than any other. Hope can cure nearly anything”.
McNair Wilson, M.D., renowned cardiologist
From his autobiography Doctor’s Progress
“Hope, like faith and a purpose in life is medicinal”.
Harold Wolff, M.D., professor of medicine at Cornell University Medical College and associate professor of psychiatry
Please help keep hope alive for Randy.
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About Randy Porter –
Randy Porter as a young man was an aspiring professional golfer. He was club champion at age 11. At age 12, Randy was the youngest player in the Florida State Open. He won several golf scholarships to colleges in Florida and California. Then he was struck down by a mysterious but debilitating injury that took away his carefully honed golfing skills and which gradually began to erode his ability to function in the more mundane aspects of his life. The tragic end of his golfing ambitions in high school signaled the beginning of a downward spiral to disability and homelessness. After frustrating years of doctor visits yielding no explanation for his physical deterioration, Randy was finally diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).
AS is an inflammatory, progressive autoimmune condition resembling arthritis. Over time, AS can cause the spine to fuse. Without proper care and treatment AS can lead to permanent spinal damage. Randy has come to rely upon crutches. AS requires a high level of care that his disability payments are unable to cover. Randy’s doctors have emphasized that Randy requires a skilled nursing facility to handle his treatment, but, at the moment, he is sleeping in a car and occasionally staying in motel rooms he can ill afford. There are no funds to get him the medical care he needs to address the corrosive effects of AS. His present life conditions are not conducive to healing. Randy is not getting the medical attention his doctors say he needs.
Although Randy has lost his ability to work and play his favorite sport and to enjoy many aspects of life most of us take for granted, he has never lost hope. Now 65, Randy has done all he can to get the help he needs through normal channels. Randy has reached out to the County for housing assistance, but housing is scarce and there is very little low income and disabled housing in the Monterey County area. Randy is surviving day by day, worrying about housing and survival, while his doctors are telling him he needs to have care he simply cannot afford.
Randy’s story is tragic, but one that could happen to any of us. As Americans, we admire those who have the determination and skills to rise above, but we also do not forget those who, through fate, are less fortunate. With the power of our community, we can get Randy the care and help he needs.
===================
Randy Porter’s Personal Plea for Your Help –
I have always believed that perhaps the greatest psychological, spiritual and even medical support that all us may have is hope. The curative power of the human mind fired by hope is a truly powerful force. The other side of this, of course, is that when hope dies, despair may overwhelm someone.
I need your help. You may have heard it said, “there but for fortune may go you or I.” It might have been me that statement refers to. Through misfortune and no fault of my own, life has dealt me a pretty tough hand. I am 65, homeless, without family and I am disabled, suffering from a painful spinal disease. It is called Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). As a result of AS and other debilitating problems life has gotten increasingly harder as I have gotten older. I once was athletic and vigorous. Now, my body is failing me as the vertebrae in my spine are gradually fusing making me hunch over and causing pain, stiffness and inflammation in my joints and ligaments. This condition renders me incapable of doing so many basic tasks I used to take for granted such as driving. I cannot work and having exhausted my savings years ago and having no family support, I am unable to survive on the small amount I receive from disability each month (about $1000 per month).
My doctor insists I should be in a skilled nursing home, but I can’t even afford a motel room. I have survived during COVID by sleeping in an abandoned car in a church parking lot. I have been lucky in getting away with that for some time, but I know I am not going to be able to continue that much longer. I reached out for help with the County and there is no housing available for me. While housing is my immediate concern, the bigger issue is that funds are sorely needed for medical therapies my doctor tells me are essential to address my medical issues. Such therapy would slow AS’s degenerative progress and is necessary to maintain my health in the long term, but is something my government healthcare does not cover. Without it, my doctor portends my condition will worsen quicker, my pain and stiffness will become unbearable and I will not be able to survive living like I have for the past few years.
I’m in a life-threatening situation. I am hoping you can help. Please help me.
- Randy
“Hope is the medicine I use more than any other. Hope can cure nearly anything”.
McNair Wilson, M.D., renowned cardiologist
From his autobiography Doctor’s Progress
“Hope, like faith and a purpose in life is medicinal”.
Harold Wolff, M.D., professor of medicine at Cornell University Medical College and associate professor of psychiatry
Please help keep hope alive for Randy.
===================
About Randy Porter –
Randy Porter as a young man was an aspiring professional golfer. He was club champion at age 11. At age 12, Randy was the youngest player in the Florida State Open. He won several golf scholarships to colleges in Florida and California. Then he was struck down by a mysterious but debilitating injury that took away his carefully honed golfing skills and which gradually began to erode his ability to function in the more mundane aspects of his life. The tragic end of his golfing ambitions in high school signaled the beginning of a downward spiral to disability and homelessness. After frustrating years of doctor visits yielding no explanation for his physical deterioration, Randy was finally diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).
AS is an inflammatory, progressive autoimmune condition resembling arthritis. Over time, AS can cause the spine to fuse. Without proper care and treatment AS can lead to permanent spinal damage. Randy has come to rely upon crutches. AS requires a high level of care that his disability payments are unable to cover. Randy’s doctors have emphasized that Randy requires a skilled nursing facility to handle his treatment, but, at the moment, he is sleeping in a car and occasionally staying in motel rooms he can ill afford. There are no funds to get him the medical care he needs to address the corrosive effects of AS. His present life conditions are not conducive to healing. Randy is not getting the medical attention his doctors say he needs.
Although Randy has lost his ability to work and play his favorite sport and to enjoy many aspects of life most of us take for granted, he has never lost hope. Now 65, Randy has done all he can to get the help he needs through normal channels. Randy has reached out to the County for housing assistance, but housing is scarce and there is very little low income and disabled housing in the Monterey County area. Randy is surviving day by day, worrying about housing and survival, while his doctors are telling him he needs to have care he simply cannot afford.
Randy’s story is tragic, but one that could happen to any of us. As Americans, we admire those who have the determination and skills to rise above, but we also do not forget those who, through fate, are less fortunate. With the power of our community, we can get Randy the care and help he needs.
Organizer and beneficiary
Lillie Lemon
Organizer
Seaside, CA
Chuck Posey
Beneficiary