Help Retired EMT Michael Kempton Receive PTSD Treatment

Hello. My name is Michael Kempton and I suffer from severe PTSD associated with my 10 year career in EMS / Fire. That photo you see is a much younger individual who was ready to conquer the world.

I feel ashamed to start a GoFundMe for myself but I am in desperate need of treatment for my condition. Without going into detail to spare you, I have witnessed horrific things that have haunted me my entire adult life. For a long time I have dealt with the flashbacks, dissociation and chronic nightmares. I stress ate until I reached 430 pounds, now I am 285.

After my career, I went into teaching. However, I responded to a terrible wreck I witnessed on route 80 in 2023 that involved a ridiculous amount of gore and two children who were not fastened in their seatbelts with terrible head injuries. Those children were the same age I taught and the situation was very similar to a accident involving a child and impaired driver many years ago. I continued to work for about a week but my brain shut down. I am now constantly living in the past.

I have tried to work but have been let go not due to my performance, but my depressive demeanor. I went to a clinic in February for 90 days this February that claimed to treat PTSD but they did not. In November of this year I attended another clinic called The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center and they truly did work on my PTSD. I could not stay due to insurance conflicts and my own lack of funding so I could not complete the 90 day program which included EMDR therapy and TMS therapy, the two most effective methods of treating PTSD. As a result, I could not start EMDR or TMS because it begins on your fifth trauma session, as I only had four because of my 30 day stay. I was also able to begin true marriage counseling with my wife I'm separated with, the fault of my own depression and isolation.

I am now in a position where my insurance through my wife is accepted by the clinic, but I am unable to pay for medications, deductibles, travel to the location and living arrangements during my stay. Since returning home my symptoms have begun to resurface, I would say even worse. I truly feel non-functional. I am living in the area where the majority of my work in EMS was done and I find it terribly difficult to even drive locally as many of the streets are associated with memories.

While I feel ashamed to ask for money knowing there are so many causes out there more important, I have dreams of becoming a functional, working member of society again that can hopefully pay it forward. The clinic also helps with work integration, which I am looking forward to.

I tried to start a GoFundMe a few days ago but I was bombarded by scammers who wanted me to DM them and obtain information which I did not give. It was just too much bombardment by people who wanted to hurt me, not help. However, the anxiety and desperation to receive the help I need is more overwhelming than I can imagine so I am trying again.

I am currently doing my best to earn money selling prized possessions, finding gig work but I am having absolutely no luck. I would appreciate any amount, or even just a prayer. I am 35 years old now and feeling hopeless. I have a two year old son who deserves a dad who smiles, not fake ones. Soon he will remember things and the last thing I want him to remember is a dad who was constantly living in the past.

Also, I just want to note I am entirely sober from all substances and this is not coffee money. This is truly for medical expenses.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Michael.