Hi, I'm Robin and I'm raising funds for my brother Roger to get unstuck from his bills due to a stroke.

Roger is stuck because he is too healthy to qualify for government assistance and not healthy enough to pull himself up from his own bootstraps.

What happened to Roger?

On July 20th, 2023, Roger experienced an acute ischemic vertebrobasilar artery brainstem stroke. This caused ataxia on the left side of his head, which showed up as:

The great news is that because the stroke was not a “bleeder” all of Roger’s doctors have been positive that he can make a near-full recovery in five to six months.

Unfortunately, while he recovers from these ailments, he is unable to work to pay his share of the rent that he and his partner Ruth must pay, keep his health insurance active, and pay other regular bills they share.

Roger Before the Stroke:

Before the stroke, Roger was working as a licensed Substitute Teacher in the Edmonds School District near Seattle, Washington. He has worked in youth development for decades and recently discovered a passion for matching or exceeding the positive energy the students' regular teacher usually brings while they are away from the classroom. Roger often hears from administration, teachers, and mostly students that he is their “favorite sub.”

In the past couple of years, Roger has refined his storytelling skills through producing and hosting the Crossing It Off Podcast. On the show, he interviews people about one item they have crossed off their bucket list to engage and encourage his listeners to find joy through crossing items off their own list. Before the stroke, Roger was releasing two new episodes each week and the show was gaining in popularity.

Roger was also in the process of writing two books before the stroke. One was a memoir about his relationship with our dad and how it impacted his relationship with his own son. The other was a college history textbook based on his lifelong love of comic books.

After the stroke. . .

He spent five days in the hospital and eight days at an inpatient rehabilitation center before being released to go home. Now home, his days are mostly filled with activities related to his recovery, which include exercises for rebuilding the connections in his brain that control the nerves in his face and that affect his balance.

Roger and Ruth spend a significant amount of their time during the week in appointments with his care team. This group includes:

I am very proud of my brother for taking his recovery and future health very seriously. He is putting in significant effort each day; however, despite all his hard work there are still things he cannot do:

And most importantly…

How can you help?

Roger’s goal is to work hard on his recovery so that he can get back to work making a difference in the lives of his students, listeners, and readers, as well as contribute to the shared financial goals he and Ruth have together.

My goal of starting this GoFundMe is to relieve his stress of figuring out how to cover his monthly expenses so that he can focus on his strong efforts to get back to where he was before the stroke.

I set a minimum goal of $9000 that Roger will use in the following ways:

I'm deeply grateful for you to take the time to read about Roger's story. Roger is a positive and encouraging voice for his students and listeners, as well as his friends and family. He needs our help so that he can recover well and return to having a positive impact in the world.

Thank you for considering helping Roger get unstuck with a gift. Your support, whether $10, $25, or more, makes a meaningful difference in Roger and Ruth's life during this challenging time. If Roger's story has inspired you, please share this campaign with others. Together, we can have a positive impact and provide the help that Roger needs.

Thank you!