On Friday May 11, 2018 my boyfriend and father of my daughter, Bodhi, was walking his bike in downtown Denver towards the bus stop. Alex Kendall made it just a few blocks before he began being taunted by a group of homeless men in an alley. He tried to flee the situation, but was stopped short. The group of homeless men brutally attacked him. Using whatever weapons were within arms reach they beat him nearly to death, stole everything of value from him, and left him for dead in that alley.
Three hours went by before he was able flag down a Lyft driver that happened to be driving by. The next morning he was taken to the emergency room. After multiple tests, scans, and X-rays he was admitted to the hospital with multiple fractures to his spine. After three days, tonight he was discharged. Nurses and doctors said that surgery would most likely be necessary. They quoted a much longer stay than he had, but made drastically different quotes and arrangements when it became known that he was uninsured.
Alex is a vegan, an athlete, and certified massage therapist. Alex’s insurance policy has always been the way that he cared for his body. He is not prone to sickness, and has not visited a doctor in years. He has always been a poster child for healthy mind and healthy body. He has been a health and wellness coach for dozens of people in our lives. His friends and family view him as a trusted authority on ways to best care for the body. Today he was practically kicked out of the hospital because he chose to insure his health through action instead of payment.
Alex has never been without “health” insurance, but today it is actually “viscous attack victim” insurance that he is lacking.
In the event that the vertebrae of his spine are able to correctly heal themselves, he will be out of work and nearly completely debilitated for eight weeks at a minimum. With the help of family and friends to care for Bodhi, who will turn 1 in ten days, I will be able to work enough to meet our most basic needs.
I have not slept since I received the call. My heart, and every inch of me worries about him every moment of every day. Is he in pain? Is it worse than his pride is telling us? Does he need the surgery? Does he have all of the resources to recover and heal properly? Even if he does, will he? My mind and my heart are moving miles a minute, and the tears will not stop for even a moment.
Every time I am close to a break; every time I think we can get through this, the very next thing that consumes me is the money. We have not received a bill from the hospital as he was just discharged today. Talking to friends, family, and through internet searches I’m realizing that this could very easily be a $30,000 hospital visit. Without that bill lingering over us it will take us at very least a year to get back on our feet after this. Alex is strong! He is so strong! I am too, we both try so hard! And work so hard! We’ve come through so much, and struggled through huge obstacles to get where we were before Friday night. Friday, May 11, 2018 and a group of nameless and faceless attackers not only erased that progress, but sets us so, so, so far behind where we were just minutes before the attack.
We need help. We need so much help. It’s hard to put a dollar amount on the help that we need, but every penny we are able to raise will go straight to the hospital and these bills that will undoubtedly cripple our family. Anything and everything anyone is able to spare would be appreciated beyond belief!
Thank you so very much for hearing our story and you consideration, and if you choose to support us in this time of need in any way, Alex, Bodhi, and myself will be so very grateful!!
Thank you,
Katrina
Three hours went by before he was able flag down a Lyft driver that happened to be driving by. The next morning he was taken to the emergency room. After multiple tests, scans, and X-rays he was admitted to the hospital with multiple fractures to his spine. After three days, tonight he was discharged. Nurses and doctors said that surgery would most likely be necessary. They quoted a much longer stay than he had, but made drastically different quotes and arrangements when it became known that he was uninsured.
Alex is a vegan, an athlete, and certified massage therapist. Alex’s insurance policy has always been the way that he cared for his body. He is not prone to sickness, and has not visited a doctor in years. He has always been a poster child for healthy mind and healthy body. He has been a health and wellness coach for dozens of people in our lives. His friends and family view him as a trusted authority on ways to best care for the body. Today he was practically kicked out of the hospital because he chose to insure his health through action instead of payment.
Alex has never been without “health” insurance, but today it is actually “viscous attack victim” insurance that he is lacking.
In the event that the vertebrae of his spine are able to correctly heal themselves, he will be out of work and nearly completely debilitated for eight weeks at a minimum. With the help of family and friends to care for Bodhi, who will turn 1 in ten days, I will be able to work enough to meet our most basic needs.
I have not slept since I received the call. My heart, and every inch of me worries about him every moment of every day. Is he in pain? Is it worse than his pride is telling us? Does he need the surgery? Does he have all of the resources to recover and heal properly? Even if he does, will he? My mind and my heart are moving miles a minute, and the tears will not stop for even a moment.
Every time I am close to a break; every time I think we can get through this, the very next thing that consumes me is the money. We have not received a bill from the hospital as he was just discharged today. Talking to friends, family, and through internet searches I’m realizing that this could very easily be a $30,000 hospital visit. Without that bill lingering over us it will take us at very least a year to get back on our feet after this. Alex is strong! He is so strong! I am too, we both try so hard! And work so hard! We’ve come through so much, and struggled through huge obstacles to get where we were before Friday night. Friday, May 11, 2018 and a group of nameless and faceless attackers not only erased that progress, but sets us so, so, so far behind where we were just minutes before the attack.
We need help. We need so much help. It’s hard to put a dollar amount on the help that we need, but every penny we are able to raise will go straight to the hospital and these bills that will undoubtedly cripple our family. Anything and everything anyone is able to spare would be appreciated beyond belief!
Thank you so very much for hearing our story and you consideration, and if you choose to support us in this time of need in any way, Alex, Bodhi, and myself will be so very grateful!!
Thank you,
Katrina