I'm writing to let you know that I had a terrible accident on December 27th 2023. The blade guard on a chopsaw somehow caught the blade and shattered. The guard that is meant to prevent injuries exploded, sending shards rigid plastic flying. Some of it hit my left hand and ripped my middle finger off. It also severed the tendons on my forefinger and thumb.

The Doctor in Hana got me onto a helicopter to fly me to the other side of the island. The hand surgeon at Maui Memorial Hospital said she had to amputate my forefinger and middle finger. I had my wife wheel me out of the ER before they could get me on the table and we flew to Oahu. The Emergency Room staff at Queens Hospital connected me with an excellent hand specialist. The surgeon opperated on my hand for nine hours. He was able to save all of my fingers and reconnect all of the severed tendons nerves and arteries.

Now I have to go through the slow and painful process of regaining the use of my hand. Needless to say, the new album I've been working on will not get finished until I can play my guitar again. My doctor said it may take over a year to get feeling back in my fingers even after I can move them all normally again.

I have not worked since the accident and I would really appreciate your help to make ends meet during my recovery. I will be able to get back to work as soon as I can use my hand again.

To give something back, I have started going through my vast library of live recordings. I have hours and hours of performances recorded on various devices over the years. I have lots of songs on file that have never been released. I will do my best to release a couple of albums of previously unreleased live recordings of my original music to share with Everyone

Aloha,

John