David Smith's Recovery Fund

My name is Patrick Jorstad and I’m starting this campaign to help my best friend of 22 years, David Smith.

David has always identified with John Nash, who was the subject of the movie A Beautiful Mind. Like Nash, David is brilliant, highly educated, and a novel thinker. Also like Nash, David suffers from severe mental illness. Does David interact with people who aren’t really there and imagine vast conspiracies, as Nash did? I can’t say for sure, but there’s good evidence that he does.

David has managed to keep his condition under control for most of his adult life. Since graduating from Harvard in the ‘90s, he’s worked as a business and political consultant. Most recently, he’s been self-employed as a tutor, specializing in K-12 students with learning disabilities. His tutoring profile lists over 600 5-star reviews from both students and parents. He has helped a number of students overcome dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning disabilities, and he has helped many of them gain entry to undergraduate college programs.

But right now David needs some help.

A few weeks ago, something “slipped” in David’s mind.

If you’re friends with him on Facebook, you probably noticed that his posts became rather manic. For those of us close to him, his behavior was extremely concerning. It became difficult to have a conversation with him because it was unclear whether he was discussing real or imagined events. It was obvious that he was losing his grasp on reality.

David recently checked himself into the hospital for mental health issues. He has been in and out of the hospital four times in the past two months. He has spent more than six weeks in three different facilities so far. He is currently in a step-down program that lasts for two weeks, and if all goes well, he will be released October 15.

He has been diagnosed with bi-polar, schizophrenia, and several other maladies.  The most recent hospitalization was for manic behavior and suicidal thoughts.  He also suffers from Crohn's disease and other serious illnesses.

While trying to help David through this, I learned that he missed an insurance payment. He is currently uninsured. He has had several ambulance rides to the emergency room, and a number of medications prescribed, all of which are not covered by insurance.

David is a hilarious, ingenious, and extremely caring person. He desperately needs treatment in order to function in the world … but lack of insurance could change the trajectory of his entire future.

I’ve been frantically selling David’s belongings (with his blessings) during the past few weeks in order to raise money to help him. I’ve sold nearly everything except those objects that hold sentimental value. It’s not nearly enough to cover David’s staggering medical bills.

I’m not the type to ask for help, but right now I am asking for it on behalf of my very best friend David. Please make a donation in any amount to help him during this very confusing and difficult time. Please help me get him back on his feet and back out in the world, so he can share his gifts and his talents with others.

Thank you so much for your kindness. And please share this with your friends and family. Remember, every little bit is a huge help!