My friend Luke and I bought vehicles about six months ago to convert into homes and efficient campers. He had bought a cargo van while I purchased a mini school bus. The two of us have spent every free second the past 6 months building the inside of these rigs into homes. They are fully off the grid, self-sufficient camper vans to travel the country in and begin our careers in the outdoor industry.
We were in the final stages of completing our RVs, wiring all the solar proponents, and tinkering with the finishing touches. On Sunday night, September 20th, Luke was sleeping in his van on parked legally on Brinkerhoff Street in Plattsburgh, New York. A drunk driver hit him, driving reverse up a one-way street. Lukes van was thrown 15 feet with him in it, luckily he is okay but his van/ home was completely totaled. The driver fled the scene and ditched his truck.
In the past week, we have discovered that the driver had no insurance on his vehicle, meaning that there is no coverage on the damage done to Luke’s van. Luke had a basic insurance plan, which does not cover collision insurance. Getting struck by a drunk driver was not a foreseen obstacle in the life of van dwelling. His insurance company told him this week that they would cover his medical bill but other than that he is on his own.
I speak for everyone by saying that we are extremely thankful that Luke is not hurt. With that being said, he is left without a home or means to get from point A to point B. These vehicles are our dreams, and we put countless hours into transforming them into our own tiny homes. Everyone that knows Luke knows that he never asks for anything, especially something like a gofundme. Luke’s circumstances are extremely unfortunate, I’m putting the faith in the good people that love Luke, and the community that surrounds him to help a friend out in a time of need. Let’s help Luke find a new vehicle and get it built out before winter hits!