My name is Gordon Broney, and I am 73 years old. On November 1st, my life changed in the most devastating way. I was trying to fix my pressure washer, and when it wouldn’t start, I checked the spark plug and coil. The moment I pulled the rope, a sudden burst of fire exploded out and engulfed me. Flames caught my arm, my side, and my face. I desperately tried to put the fire out with my hands, fell to the ground, and kept patting the flames, but nothing worked until I found a canvas beside me and finally managed to smother it. I survived, but I suffered severe burns and have been in the hospital ever since. I’m still in pain every day and unable to take care of myself.

While I was in the hospital fighting to stay alive, something even more heartbreaking happened. The person I trusted to help run my small car business betrayed me. He stole all the cars, took the money from sales, and disappeared. My income has dropped so drastically that I can no longer manage even basic living necessities. I have no family nearby. There is no one who can take care of me when I leave the hospital. Because I cannot move normally right now, I will need to hire a caregiver, but I simply cannot afford it.

One small blessing is that I am a veteran, so I do not have to pay for my medical bills. But everything else—caregiver expenses, living costs, and the debts created while I was hospitalized—falls entirely on me. At 73 years old, recovering from burns, betrayed financially, and facing debts I did not create, I feel lost and overwhelmed. I never imagined that I would be struggling like this at this stage of my life. I am humbly asking for help. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to anyone who donates, shares my story, or keeps me in their prayers. I truly have nowhere else to turn.