Hello everyone. My name is Janelle Funderburk, and I never imagined I’d be in a position where I would need to write something like this—but I’ve reached a point where I need to ask for your help, your voice, and your support.

On January 17, 2022, at 9:00 p.m., I slipped on ice on my way to work at Honeywell FM&T and sustained a traumatic spinal injury. That one moment changed the course of my entire life. What started as a painful fall has turned into years of suffering, countless medical appointments, and an endless fight for proper care, recognition, and dignity.

Since then, I’ve been diagnosed with several serious conditions, including:

• Cervical Myelomalacia (a degenerative spinal cord condition),

• Bulging and herniated discs,

• Chronic pain and neurological damage, and

• A dramatically weakened immune system that leaves me constantly sick and drained.

I’ve undergone MRIs, CT scans, X-rays, spinal tap, EKGs, echogram, and more tests than I can count. I’ve had multiple hospital stays, spent weeks recovering from flare-ups, and have been in and out of doctors’ offices for over two years now—still seeking answers and relief.

I now need spinal surgery to preserve my mobility and relieve this pain—but without insurance, I simply can’t afford it. What’s worse, the specific surgery I need—Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR)—isn’t even performed by most surgeons in Kansas City. I may have to travel out of state just to receive care. Meanwhile, local doctors are pushing for spinal fusion, which would limit my movement and quality of life even more.

My health has declined so much that even normal activities—like bowling, playing catch, or wrestling around with my little cousins—now leave me in agonizing pain for days. I can no longer enjoy the activities I once loved. Most days, I’m in bed battling pain and sleeplessness, or I play video games just to distract myself—because it’s one of the few things I can still do without making things worse.

But instead of support, my employer—Honeywell FM&T—chose retaliation.

I was wrongfully suspended and then retaliatorily terminated by a Human Resources Generalist who was under active investigation for discriminating against me. Despite knowing about my health conditions, my employer, along with New York Life, continuously denied my short-term disability claims and ignored my need for medical leave. They fired me on June 6, 2025, citing “excessive absences”—absences that were medically justified and well-documented.

Since then, everything has spiraled:

• My credit is ruined.

• My car has been repossessed.

• I’ve been evicted and am now fighting to stay afloat every single day.

• My quality of life and mental health have taken serious hits.

I’ve been living with unbearable anxiety, grief, and shame, all while trying to survive chronic pain and disability. I’m now trying to appeal my case, speak out, and hold Honeywell FM&T and New York Life accountable for what they’ve done.

I’m asking for your help—not just financially, but also to help amplify my voice. If this has happened to me, it’s happening to others too. I want my story to be heard, and I want justice—for myself and for anyone else who’s ever been abandoned by their employer while battling for their life.

If you can contribute, share, or reach out to someone in the media who can help me tell this story, I would be forever grateful.

If you’re a reporter or advocate and would like to speak with me, I’m ready to talk.

Thank you for reading. Please share. Please care. Please stand with me.

With love and hope,

Janelle Funderburk

Kansas City, MO