On Tuesday night, a powerful storm swept through our neighborhood, and lightning struck the giant tree in my yard. A huge section broke off and crashed into my neighbor Larry’s yard, blocking his driveway and the ramp to his house. Larry is a retired veteran who has always been a kind neighbor—he trims his bushes on our side of the fence, shares blackberries from his garden, and lets us watch his fireworks show every year. We’ve lived next door to each other for about five years, and while we aren’t close friends, his generosity has always made a difference.

When the tree fell, I was completely powerless. Our electricity was out, and I didn’t have the resources to clear the debris right away. Larry needed access to his driveway, so he called an emergency crew and paid for the removal service to have the tree cleared within two hours. Not only did they clear his driveway, but they also removed the fallen part from my yard. Larry has been incredibly kind about letting me pay him back as I can, but I don’t want him to have to wait or carry the financial burden for my tree.

I’m raising funds to reimburse Larry for the emergency removal service. If the fundraiser exceeds the amount needed, any extra will go toward removing the rest of the tree, which is a much larger job. Larry showed up for me when I needed help most, and I want to pay him back as quickly as possible to ease any financial strain—even if he’s too kind to say it. Any support means the world to both of us.