Update. Thank you so much to everyone who already donated. We are so grateful for your support. We did some research and found a few vehicles which are still out of our reach, but are hoping that this might push the fundraiser a bit. Please check out the pictures for more information. You get to vote which vehicle he will get.

For over 30 years, Randy has been more than just a scuba diving instructor — he’s been a mentor, a lifeline, a friend to many of you, and a source of chaos in an otherwise calm. He’s opened the underwater realm to thousands of students — including those with special needs, learning differences, or deep fears — and he’s done it with patience, humor, and a quiet kind of grace that can’t be taught.

Scuba diving isn’t just Randy’s job. It’s his life’s calling — a way to share the peace, wonder, and freedom of the blue realm with people who might never otherwise experience them.

But even the strongest swimmers can only tread water for so long.

In these times of AI dominance, same-day deliveries, and a constant move toward losing interpersonal connections, Randy has been quietly fighting to keep something real alive: a small, independent, brick-and-mortar dive shop built on quality, knowledge, and genuine care — not just “customer service,” but actual human connection.

Randy kept his doors open for as long as he possibly could, even as rents skyrocketed and small businesses folded all around him. Though he’s now moving his business online out of necessity, the transition is slow, and income is uncertain. What hasn’t changed is his unwavering commitment to teaching — and for that, he needs a safe and reliable way to get to his students.

Randy has survived three heart attacks. He’s kept going through pain most of us can’t imagine. And still, he shows up — not for recognition, not for money, but because he believes in giving people something they’ll carry forever: the courage to keep breathing and to open their eyes to the wonders of the underwater world.

And yet, over the past few years, life has thrown him blow after blow:

Three of his beaters broke down and left us scrambling for money to find another one, stretching already thin resources just to stay mobile each time. And just recently, the tire flew off his newly purchased used truck while he was driving — a terrifying reminder that the vehicles he's been patching together are no longer safe.

If you’ve ever seen his Facebook posts, you’ve probably seen him under a car, grease on his hands, trying to coax one more mile out of a worn-out part. You’ve seen him smile through it, never complaining, always cracking a joke.

What you don’t always see is what he’s quietly sacrificed:

To keep his dream alive, to keep teaching, to keep his dive shop going, and to support his family, Randy has worked many minimum-wage jobs late into the night. He’s stacked sandwiches in high school cafeterias. He’s been a second set of hands on UPS trucks. All while trying to keep the lights on in a brick-and-mortar store when it felt like the rest of the world was moving online without him.

He’s finally transitioning the retail business online, but in the meantime, he still needs to get to his students. He still needs to show up.

This fundraiser isn’t for comfort. It’s not for convenience. It’s so a man who has spent his life giving can get to work without risking his life every single time he turns the key.

I’ll be honest — I don’t even know what amount to set as a goal. I'm just hoping to raise enough for a used vehicle that can lug his and his student's tanks, gear and occasionally the family back and forth from the teaching facility and dive sites, one that is reliable, safe, and has low mileage. Nothing fancy. Just something he doesn’t have to fight with every mile.

I’m not asking for me — I’m asking for our daughter. A little girl who loves her father with all her heart, and who shouldn’t have to carry the fear that one more breakdown could be the one he doesn’t walk away from.

This is about dignity. About gratitude. About helping someone who’s always helped others, and who would never dream of asking for anything in return.

Please help us get Randy a vehicle that’s safe and reliable. Something he can trust to get him where he’s needed — without another emergency.

Because he deserves to keep doing what he loves — safely.

Because he’s earned it.

Because sometimes, even stubborn Scuba Divers need a hand.

Thank you for reading, for donating, and for sharing. Every kind gesture means more than you know.

With all my heart,

Karin