On September 21, 2025, Zdenek Hedlik’s life changed in an instant. For many years, I have known Zdenek as a healthy, hardworking man and a generous neighbor here in Nashville. I had just waved goodbye to him on a Friday afternoon; by Monday, I was shaken by a call from the hospital asking if I knew Zdenek, saying he was unlikely to survive, and were trying to reach his loved ones. That Sunday, Zdenek experienced sudden, excruciating pain and managed to call 911. He woke up a week later in the CCU after a life-saving surgery. The nurses told me his surgeon worked a miracle, performing a complex procedure to reattach his stomach. While he survived, the road back has been incredibly difficult.

At 68 years old, Zdenek is not used to being the one who needs help. He has always been the first to offer a smile or a helping hand to others. One of the first things he said to me in the hospital—still heavily medicated—was that he had to get home because he couldn’t miss work. For the past four months, Zdenek has survived on loans and the extraordinary kindness of a special person who stepped in to keep him from becoming homeless. However, his situation has reached a critical point. As a self-employed man in a physical trade, he can no longer perform the work that has been his livelihood for 25 years. He is currently making the heartbreaking decision to leave the Nashville home he loves to move closer to family overseas. To survive until then, he has been selling his tools and belongings just to pay for food and basic bills.

Zdenek is a proud man who has struggled to accept help, but he is now in a position where he simply cannot do this alone. I am starting this GoFundMe to help him cover his mounting debts, daily living expenses, and the costs associated with his upcoming move. Any amount you can contribute will go directly toward helping this "beautiful soul" find stability and peace after a traumatic year. Thank you for your kindness and for helping me support a dear friend.