My name is Ben Sand, and my girlfriend Alli recently had a very bad day, involving a ride to the ER in an ambulance, 2 surgeries, and 4 pain-filled days in a hospital bed. Her car went off the road and collided with a power pole. Everyone who saw the car said it is a miracle she survived. We are very thankful that she is alive, but unfortunately we now have a mountain of medical bills and no way to pay them. Neither Alli nor I can afford health insurance, her job does not offer any benefits, I am currently unemployed (and have been unable to find a job thanks to the current economy), and the car's insurance policy is only going to cover a small percentage of the total amount due.

Alli suffered a broken jaw bone, a broken tibia at the knee, a few broken teeth, as well as numerous bruises, scrapes, and cuts from broken glass. Doctors had to perform surgery on both her jaw and knee, involving several metal plates and a bunch of tiny screws. She won't be able to chew food for 6 weeks, and might not be able to walk for up to 3 months. She also won't be able to work until she is able to walk again, which is going to make it very difficult to pay rent, utility bills, and buy groceries, medicine, and other necessities. We already exhausted our savings to pay for prescriptions and other medical supplies.

The total amount due to the hospital is $57,184, and that doesn't even include follow-up appointments.

We aren't the type of people to ask for help, normally. We are both very independent and self-reliant, which is why it is very difficult for me to ask for donations. But we are out of ideas, out of options, and running out of time.

Any donation is greatly appreciated. I'm not asking for a lot from anybody, $20 or so would be absolutely helpful. The way I see it, if I can find about 3000 people to pitch in $20 each, we might get through this without ending up homeless and helpless.

I still don't know how Alli could have survived the crash, but apparently God has a plan for her, a greater purpose of some sort, and now we are praying for help from our friends, family, and anybody else out there who might have a little extra to spare. Whatever you can do to help would be a blessing, no matter how small it may be.

If you want to help, a small donation is appreciated, but even if you can't donate, you might be able to help just by sharing this fundraiser through social media to try to get more people aware of our needs. Anything will help.

Thank You and God Bless.