Stagehand Max Needs Support After Serious Foot Injury

Who I Am:

Hi, I’m Max, a longtime stagehand, U.S. Navy veteran, and computer enthusiast from Memphis, Tennessee. Since October 1992 I have enjoyed working (sometimes intermittently) with a handful of production companies in the local area, but primarily with the IATSE Local #69, setting up and breaking down all kinds of events from concerts and live theater to trade shows (and even a movie production!) Over the years I have developed a great affinity and respect for the industry despite its sporadic and seasonal nature. It’s been a blast getting to know, learn from and work alongside so many skilled, talented, interesting people along the way! This is one of the few jobs I generally looked forward to showing up and it often didn't seem like "work" in the typical sense.

For those of you who don't know me, I've always been driven by a desire to understand how things work, leading me to study math, science and engineering and pursuing a varied career path. I've worked in everything from grocery stores to chemistry labs, construction sites, and even served as a U.S. Navy Aviation Life Support Technician. But my passion have always drawn me back the stagehand industry. Lastly, I can't go without mentioning that I am a father to a 30-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old son, and a grandfather to a wonderful 6-year-old grandson. They are my inspiration and motivate me to try to create a better world for them.

My Story:

Unfortunately, in wee hours of October 14th, 2024 I suffered a serious injury to my left foot while loading the final truck of the load-out for a Broadway production at the Orpheum Theatre. As usual, I was assigned as a truck loader. This show had a massive cart they nicknamed “Big Bertha” and weighed in at over 3 tons if not more. I was at the front of this monster and as I was stepping around to the side of the cart, I managed to allow one of its wheels to roll onto my foot, breaking my big toe and causing significant tissue damage among my other toes. Once I got Big Bertha off the end of my foot, I immediately exited the truck, sat down, and removed my boot to assess the injury, but since I didn’t see or feel any bleeding, I put my boot back on, waited until the trailer doors were shut and we all headed out.

Once I made it back home and was able to fully examine my injured foot, I soon realized the damage was much more serious than I initially thought, so I went straight to the ER at the Veterans Administration Hospital. The dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff cleaned, stitched, and bandaged me up, gave me some meds and referred me to see the Podiatry Clinic in a couple of days hence. About a week after that I ended up being admitted to the hospital for a two-night stay to address an potential infection and since then I have been keeping my follow-up appointments and tending to my foot at home as directed, but the healing process of the patch of skin that was torn off the top of my foot has been much slower than anticipated and I have been unable to return to work since the night of my injury.

The Challenge:

Nearly five months have passed since that night, and I’ve been without income, worker’s compensation or any unemployment assistance not forthcoming yet. The modest emergency fund I had saved is now exhausted and I’m facing a financial crisis. I need urgent help to cover my portion of the household’s shared expenses (rent, utilities, and groceries) for the next few months, until I can somehow find a way to earn money from home or until I am medically cleared to return to work safely. I've always been independent and hesitant to ask for help, but now I realize I need support to get back on my feet.

How You Can Help:

Any contribution, no matter how small, will help make a significant step in allowing me stay in my home for now and focus on healing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, kindness, and generosity. I am determined to get back to work as soon as possible and continue contributing to the vibrant arts community in Memphis.

Sincerely,

Max Whitten