Hello everyone,

My childhood friend (we'll call him John) is a decorated combat veteran who served five years in the USMC with two combat deployments in Afghanistan -- nine months each. During his second deployment, an MRAP in which he was traveling hit an IED and he had to be airlifted to an in-country hospital. He suffers from partial hearing loss to this day.

After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, he returned to North Carolina, where his family resides. Upon returning to civilian life, John established an owner-operator landscaping/snow removal service where he is the sole employee. On Christmas day 2020, he was plowing amid frigid temperatures and 30 mph winds. While working to fix a wheel problem, he became pinned under his truck. After almost an hour, thank God, he was able to call 911. He was rushed to the closest hospital because he was suffering from hypothermia. The nearest VA facility was 2+ hours away. At the hospital, he was revived and surgery was performed on one of his hands, including the amputation of one finger.

The bill for all this was nearly $50,000. John has very little margin in his landscaping company and, as a result, lives a very spartan lifestyle. While he is a proud Marine and does not in any manner wish to shirk his duties and responsibilities, a bill of this magnitude would take him years and years to repay and would cause significant financial difficulty. He and his family sought help from his local Congressman, whose office was unresponsive. One of his Senator's offices was more helpful, but eventually ran into brick walls. A direct appeal to the VA was declined since he was not treated at a VA hospital. The private hospital's administrators did agree to reduce the bill substantially. While this accommodation was very much appreciated, the residual amount nevertheless remains well beyond John's ability to repay in any reasonable time frame without causing him financial and personal distress.

Having exhausted all other options, and with great reluctance, John and his family have finally accepted my offer to try to help with a GoFundMe on his behalf. He's whittled down the amount owed to approximately $30,000, but he's at the end of his rope. I am keeping his identity private at his request, stemming from his reticence about accepting any charity at all. You have my word that this is a real person -- an American hero -- in need of help. If you are financially able and so moved, please help us remove this burden from someone who served our country with great valor and selflessness. It's the least we can do. Finally, if we hit this goal, we will not expand it.

Thank you for considering,

Guy Benson