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I kept telling myself I would never make a GoFundMe page, maybe because I had thought my story wasn’t compelling enough, or people wouldn’t care. Well … Today none of those negative thoughts matter, I’m alive and well enough to push the boundaries I was born with and the boundaries placed upon me!
Good day, my name is Leslie Crowley Jr also known as; (joker, joke, bun, les, or jr). I’m currently 26 years of age. I was born December 29th, 1993 with a fatal & life-threatening neuromuscular disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Diagnosed at age 8 my life overnight had miraculously changed and proposed a challenge that NO PARENT should ever have to bare witness to.
Born and raised in East Atlanta, I was always a happy child. Never complained once! I was the little guy with big ears limping, running, falling, and getting right back up with no problem. It may have taken me 2-3 minutes to rise back up, but I was and always have been humble enough to “brush myself off and try again” (if you know that song reference, then please comment!).
As the year’s progress, walking hadn’t just become a task; but a mission! Young and energetic I played T-Ball & Soccer. Quite often I was the slowest one, the weakest link, or sometimes referred to as “Take It Easy Crowley” by my teammates because I was seen taking it easy on the field. Not knowing that this killer disease had been ravishing through my muscular system causing me to seem lazy and tired. I was often called lazy by people who knew me or didn’t know me. It hurt me deeply, mainly because I didn’t understand what was happening to me!
By age 10, I was wheeling myself around in a manual wheelchair through the halls of Hooper Alexander (DESA; Dekalb Elementary School of the Arts). Joining ballet, dance, chorus, PE, and art. Nothing could stop me! At age 11 I met my two best friends; Doulas E. & Aaron W. Visiting their homes was always an adventure, especially when I had my 6ft tall bf named Aaron carrying me up any flight of stairs. Douglas too! They weren’t the only friends that didn’t mind carrying me or helping me. There was Leslie, Loweven, Leon, Marcus, Joe, KJ, Brandon, and many more! They never saw me for my disability, only for my abilities!
2004 was the beginning of some of the best years of my life! My parents reached out to MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) and I had been invited to Camp Twin Lakes “Rock’n Roll”! This was a camp for kids with ALL TYPES OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPHIES. I met the greatest souls the Lord had created. Brandon, Skylar, Connor, Jacob, Zan, Will, TC, Tillman, Juan, JuJuan, Doron, Matthew, Blake, Ricky, Dustin, Jerry, and most importantly Mrs. Peggy Hood! Too many names, the list goes on.
Entering high school was one scary experience, but over time it turned out to be fun and revealed a multitude of life lessons. One being that just because you ride the short yellow bus doesn’t mean you’re slow or valued less than someone on the normal yellow bus. It means you’re coming from home to get the same information as the other students on the normal yellow bus and going back home just as the other students on the normal yellow bus! I had tons of friends who were in special ed growing up, one being my brother from another mother Jeremy Williams; Lead singer and owner of the heavy metal band/brand Konniption Of Ymerej.
As the year’s progress, my mother was helping me stand and I fell back down. I had fractured my foot causing me to lose some mobility and basic motor functions due to the seriousness of my injury. The following year I fell out my wheelchair downhill on the pavement where I sustained a broken femur bone right above the knee! This completely made me lose the ability to walk ever again! By age 16 my DMD had progressed causing a 45-degree curvature in my spine due to my disease eating away at my muscle tissue! 2 titanium rods had to be surgically drilled to my spine to support my body weight and improve my breathing. I was bedridden for almost 2 months.
I graduated in 2012 and from there I pursued rapping and music production. Today I am the proud owner of J0K3 (joke) Music LLC & JokeCBD! Operating and creating all on my own! Music has always been my passion and I’m proud to be a music producer.
Over the course of three years, I had been in and out of the hospital for pneumonia. This year because of my disease and pneumonia I was weighing in at 70lbs (pounds)! I had to get a G-Tube placed in my belly to increase my weight. Shortly after I was having breathing problems and come to find out, my left lung had collapsed due to my muscle weakness and bacteria settling at the bottom of my lung. During this COVID19 crisis 05/01/20, my father drove me to Emory University Hospital where I had collapsed due to CO^2 (carbon dioxide) built up in my lungs. The doctors had no choice but to intubate me causing my disease to progress to my lungs due to inactivity. From there I am no longer able to breathe on my own. I am now on a breathing machine 24/7, but that still won’t stop me!
Currently, I’m in search of a handicap accessible side entry van. The prices are outrageous and I come to realize a lot of disabled individuals can’t afford 25% of ($40,000) for a vehicle or even get a loan! I sadly fall into that category and it’s depressing to watch as everyone can easily travel and I have to rely on my father, mother, brothers, sister, family, Doug, and other friends to lift me into their vehicles. Since my latest hospital stay and intubation, It’s harder to travel and stressful on myself & everyone caring for me. All my disabled friends agree that I require proper and safer transportation. I’ve been denied loans from Navy Federal, USAA, & Georgia’s Own Credit Union. Grants take forever! So whats next?
I am asking for your help in assisting me to purchase a used handicap accessible side entry van. I don’t ask for much but today I am putting my pride aside and stretching out my arms for assistance. This will greatly improve my quality of life and boost my independence. Not only that, but allow me to conduct both my businesses and support my disabled community. I understand that my situation may not be the worst, but it sure is a challenge and I would happily help the next disabled brother/sister!
Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read the summarized story of my life and for supporting me! If you donated or plan to donate, then I LOVE YOU! Even if you don’t donate, I still love you!
www.airbit.com/profile/jokemusic3
www.jokemusic3.com - Under Construction
www.jokecbd3.com
www.instagram.com/jokemusic3/
www.twitter.com/jokemusic3/
#smallbusinessrelief
Good day, my name is Leslie Crowley Jr also known as; (joker, joke, bun, les, or jr). I’m currently 26 years of age. I was born December 29th, 1993 with a fatal & life-threatening neuromuscular disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Diagnosed at age 8 my life overnight had miraculously changed and proposed a challenge that NO PARENT should ever have to bare witness to.
Born and raised in East Atlanta, I was always a happy child. Never complained once! I was the little guy with big ears limping, running, falling, and getting right back up with no problem. It may have taken me 2-3 minutes to rise back up, but I was and always have been humble enough to “brush myself off and try again” (if you know that song reference, then please comment!).
As the year’s progress, walking hadn’t just become a task; but a mission! Young and energetic I played T-Ball & Soccer. Quite often I was the slowest one, the weakest link, or sometimes referred to as “Take It Easy Crowley” by my teammates because I was seen taking it easy on the field. Not knowing that this killer disease had been ravishing through my muscular system causing me to seem lazy and tired. I was often called lazy by people who knew me or didn’t know me. It hurt me deeply, mainly because I didn’t understand what was happening to me!
By age 10, I was wheeling myself around in a manual wheelchair through the halls of Hooper Alexander (DESA; Dekalb Elementary School of the Arts). Joining ballet, dance, chorus, PE, and art. Nothing could stop me! At age 11 I met my two best friends; Doulas E. & Aaron W. Visiting their homes was always an adventure, especially when I had my 6ft tall bf named Aaron carrying me up any flight of stairs. Douglas too! They weren’t the only friends that didn’t mind carrying me or helping me. There was Leslie, Loweven, Leon, Marcus, Joe, KJ, Brandon, and many more! They never saw me for my disability, only for my abilities!
2004 was the beginning of some of the best years of my life! My parents reached out to MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) and I had been invited to Camp Twin Lakes “Rock’n Roll”! This was a camp for kids with ALL TYPES OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPHIES. I met the greatest souls the Lord had created. Brandon, Skylar, Connor, Jacob, Zan, Will, TC, Tillman, Juan, JuJuan, Doron, Matthew, Blake, Ricky, Dustin, Jerry, and most importantly Mrs. Peggy Hood! Too many names, the list goes on.
Entering high school was one scary experience, but over time it turned out to be fun and revealed a multitude of life lessons. One being that just because you ride the short yellow bus doesn’t mean you’re slow or valued less than someone on the normal yellow bus. It means you’re coming from home to get the same information as the other students on the normal yellow bus and going back home just as the other students on the normal yellow bus! I had tons of friends who were in special ed growing up, one being my brother from another mother Jeremy Williams; Lead singer and owner of the heavy metal band/brand Konniption Of Ymerej.
As the year’s progress, my mother was helping me stand and I fell back down. I had fractured my foot causing me to lose some mobility and basic motor functions due to the seriousness of my injury. The following year I fell out my wheelchair downhill on the pavement where I sustained a broken femur bone right above the knee! This completely made me lose the ability to walk ever again! By age 16 my DMD had progressed causing a 45-degree curvature in my spine due to my disease eating away at my muscle tissue! 2 titanium rods had to be surgically drilled to my spine to support my body weight and improve my breathing. I was bedridden for almost 2 months.
I graduated in 2012 and from there I pursued rapping and music production. Today I am the proud owner of J0K3 (joke) Music LLC & JokeCBD! Operating and creating all on my own! Music has always been my passion and I’m proud to be a music producer.
Over the course of three years, I had been in and out of the hospital for pneumonia. This year because of my disease and pneumonia I was weighing in at 70lbs (pounds)! I had to get a G-Tube placed in my belly to increase my weight. Shortly after I was having breathing problems and come to find out, my left lung had collapsed due to my muscle weakness and bacteria settling at the bottom of my lung. During this COVID19 crisis 05/01/20, my father drove me to Emory University Hospital where I had collapsed due to CO^2 (carbon dioxide) built up in my lungs. The doctors had no choice but to intubate me causing my disease to progress to my lungs due to inactivity. From there I am no longer able to breathe on my own. I am now on a breathing machine 24/7, but that still won’t stop me!
Currently, I’m in search of a handicap accessible side entry van. The prices are outrageous and I come to realize a lot of disabled individuals can’t afford 25% of ($40,000) for a vehicle or even get a loan! I sadly fall into that category and it’s depressing to watch as everyone can easily travel and I have to rely on my father, mother, brothers, sister, family, Doug, and other friends to lift me into their vehicles. Since my latest hospital stay and intubation, It’s harder to travel and stressful on myself & everyone caring for me. All my disabled friends agree that I require proper and safer transportation. I’ve been denied loans from Navy Federal, USAA, & Georgia’s Own Credit Union. Grants take forever! So whats next?
I am asking for your help in assisting me to purchase a used handicap accessible side entry van. I don’t ask for much but today I am putting my pride aside and stretching out my arms for assistance. This will greatly improve my quality of life and boost my independence. Not only that, but allow me to conduct both my businesses and support my disabled community. I understand that my situation may not be the worst, but it sure is a challenge and I would happily help the next disabled brother/sister!
Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read the summarized story of my life and for supporting me! If you donated or plan to donate, then I LOVE YOU! Even if you don’t donate, I still love you!
www.airbit.com/profile/jokemusic3
www.jokemusic3.com - Under Construction
www.jokecbd3.com
www.instagram.com/jokemusic3/
www.twitter.com/jokemusic3/
#smallbusinessrelief