Joe Ferson, his girlfriend Kailyn, their three children—Tomilyn (15), twins Junior and Maddie Jo (11)—and their loyal dog Rex have been part of the Elizabeth Forward community for five years. Their lives were turned upside down when a school bus crashed into Joe’s truck, pushing it into their rental home and destroying the entire house by knocking it off the foundation. Joe, Kailyn, Tomilyn, and Rex were home at the time. While no one was seriously injured in the crash, Joe’s foot and ankle were hurt, and he now faces pain without medical insurance. Their vehicle was totaled, and the house was condemned, leaving the family homeless and struggling to find a hotel that will allow them to keep Rex with them.

The Fersons are deeply involved in their community. Junior plays on the Elizabeth Forward D1 football team, Maddie Jo is a cheerleader for the same team, and Tomilyn is active in track and field. Joe is a devoted father, always present at practices and games, cheering his children on. Even in the chaos after the accident, his first thought was to retrieve Junior’s football uniform so his son wouldn’t miss a game. The family received a small amount of help from the Red Cross, but it wasn’t enough to secure stable housing or cover their ongoing needs.

Right now, Joe and his family urgently need support to cover hotel costs until they can find a new rental that accepts Rex, help with medical expenses for Joe’s injury, and assistance replacing their vehicle so the kids can get to school and activities. They are resilient, loving, and always give back to their community. Any help will go directly toward getting them back on their feet and restoring stability to their lives.