Hello, my name is Gloria. I am a taxi driver servicing the High Desert area. With this job title, I often meet people who are going through all walks of life. During these drives, I am privileged to hear their life stories. Some stories have the ability to make one so happy for them, while others have the adverse effect, making you feel saddened and wishing you could help. I encountered one of those this morning.

Ten years ago, I picked up a fellow by the name of David Braxton. He had it all: a big home, a beautiful family, an amazing career as an electrical engineer and what seemed to be an amazing life. Shortly after meeting him, he lost everything. Instead of driving him to his home, I began driving him to hotels, which would become a shell of a home. During this time, David would continue to try moving forward with a positive attitude and always in great spirits.

Recently, I started to notice his health decline, thinking maybe it was just the stressors of life. However, he would not be so lucky. David was diagnosed with cancer and was battling this disease alone. He didn’t share this information with me willingly. He happened to share it during one of our rides when he expressed he was tired and ready to give up. He reluctantly shared that he was no longer able to afford his room due to unforeseen circumstances at his workplace. He shared that he was going to be asked to leave tomorrow if he could not come up with the owed balance. He is 2 weeks past due but has given every penny he’s been able to earn.

I’ve known David to be a generous man, a man that even when he’s going through something difficult, he smiles, faces it head-on, and never complains. Unfortunately, I am not in the position to cover the cost. Please believe me when I tell you if I could, I would. So I find myself here asking on his behalf, reaching out to our community and strangers with the hopes that some are in the position to contribute any amount. Any amount would be significant in trying to keep him housed during this difficult time. He is currently staying at Park Ave Inn located in Victorville. If you find it in your heart to donate whatever possible, it would be greatly appreciated.