Jay Machado Recovery Fundraiser

My name is Jake Slade. I am one of many who are apart of this team that is raising money for our beloved friend Joao Machado (Jay). For those of you who don't know, on the early Saturday morning of September 1st, 2018 Jay had fallen off a deck railing and had broken his T6 and T7 vertebrae in his back, cracked multiple ribs, and broke an orbita bone in his face. He was rushed to shock trauma at the University of Maryland Medical Center of Baltimore Maryland. After a 4-5 hour surgery Jay's spine was fused back together. Although surgery went well. Jay is currently paralyzed and is going to have to fight through a long rehabilitation process in order to recover. 

Out of all the years I've known Jay Machado, there has never been someone that I have met that is as independent, hardworking, loyal and fearless as he is. So fearless that he actually climbs cell towers for to make a living, and within a short 6 months has become one of the best climbers within his crew. He has spent years at his family's house helping to build and tend to one of the most beautiful backyards I have ever seen, which includes a huge chicken coop, garden, and a fire pit. At the end of our 6th grade year at Sykesville Middle School we found out that we lived within 100 yards from each other, fortunately, only separated by two different bus routes and one other neighbors backyard! I could see his backyard from the garage door at the pocket of my driveway. From there on out we spent countless days and nights together at that fire pit. It is there where we grew together as young men. In our mid/late teens we sat around the fire pit of J’s backyard from the late hours of the night to the early hours of the morning drinking captain Morgan mixed with Coca Cola speaking about the life we had ahead. We spoke about each others dreams, struggles, accomplishments, the loves of our lives, and the heartbreak that came along with them. We spoke about how we couldn’t wait to stand next to each other as best men at each ones weddings. We spoke about how he’d be uncle Jay and I’d become uncle Jake to each others children. I can’t recall all the countless walks home from those nights sitting by the fire talking about life; but I can tell you about those talks. I can tell you about what the future had to offer each other, what we wanted for one another, and what we’d do for each other. I can tell you about how we looked up to each other, and looked out for one another. To this day we still do and always will. 

I am but only one example of many that Jay has established this sort of relationship with. There are many people that have stepped up to the plate in such a short time to make a point to reach out or visit Jay at the hospital since the incident took place . There are many people that want to help and be there for Jay throughout this process. This message is for those people and anyone else who would be willing to assist. We need YOUR help. The doctors have already recommend that his parents build Jay an apartment that is wheelchair accessible in order to help with recovery. Although we are unaware if Jay is going to be able to walk again, what we do know is that the road to recovery is a long and hard one. It is also going to be an expensive one. We as a team are reaching out with a goal to raise enough money to cover any expenses for building a wheel chair accessible apartment on his parents property, anything Jay can purchase while he is out of work to lift his spirit or to just be able to enjoy while recovering. Most importantly we want to help cover medical bills from the visit to shock trauma, the surgery, and the rehabilitation. 

A few of our friends that are apart of this team had jokingly created this sort of group a few years ago that would act as vigilantes who would clean up any bad news, or villains that terrorized the streets of  Main Street Sykesville; the place where Jay and most of his friends hang out at. That group is called the "Pain Street Militia". This is our mission

All prayers, donations, strength, and love go to Joao Machado.