Young Father - Needs help!

Hi, I’m Micah. I want to introduce you to my little brother Jed. He’s my hero and I want to tell you all about him. 

Jed is a calm, mild mannered guy who spends all of his free time with his wife and kids. He is the kindest, sweetest, most caring person I’ve ever known, and such a great dad. He is a simple man who doesn’t need any of the latest gadgets or to spend hours a week watching sports or playing video games. He works hard and spends every penny he earns providing for his family. 

Jed was born with a form of autism known as Asperger's Syndrome. He’s fought for 36 years to try and have a “normal” life. He was abandoned by his mother at the age of 5 and was horribly abused for years by his step-mom. Eventually I became his guardian when he turned 15 and tried to get him the help that he needed.

As an adult he struggled to find anyone that would hire him because he was “different”. Through much adversity he eventually managed to find some stability. He’s worked at Walmart as a cashier for the last 11 years. He married his wife Kristi 7 years ago and they have 3 amazing children. Zach (6), Ava(4), and Micah (16 months), and is their sole provider. 

The past 6 months have been the hardest period of his life. He battled a serious case of COVID that was both physically and financially draining. His son Zach was diagnosed with autism, and his youngest son Micah is undergoing neurological testing to determine the cause of his delayed physical development. On top of all this Jed came down with a severe case of Shingles which is an incredibly painful viral infection. This required him taking a lot of time off of work resulting in him getting fired from Walmart in August.

In September he started his new job at Target. I was so proud of him for being able to get a new job all on his own without any help. He was excited for this new opportunity and was looking forward to enjoying the holidays with his family. Unfortunately things were just about to get worse.

Jed started experiencing debilitating pain in his arms which eventually spread to his legs. It got so bad that on Thanksgiving he was unable to move and couldn’t get out of bed. He was rushed to the hospital where he immediately underwent a litany of tests. All of his blood counts were critically low and he’s had to receive multiple blood transfusions. The doctors said if he had waited any longer to get to the hospital he wouldn’t have made it.

Then we heard the worst news we could’ve imagined. Jed has Burkitt’s Lymphoma. It is an incredibly rare and highly aggressive form of cancer that attacks the organs and central nervous system. The treatment plan involves intensive chemotherapy specifically targeting the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. 

Jed needs our help! He will be spending the next 6 months in and out of the hospital receiving treatments and will be unable to work. With him focusing on getting better and Kristi focusing on taking care of the young children with special needs they have no source of income. They live a simple life in a small apartment and need help covering the basics like rent and utilities. Any amount is appreciated. 

There are not enough words to describe how proud I am to see how far he’s come in life. From a small child who couldn’t speak in full sentences until he was 8, to a hard working man supporting his wife and three children. No one I know has fought as hard as he has just to have the basics in life that most of us take for granted. 

Thank you for your generosity, prayers, love, and support. I will be posting updates as soon as possible