Mathew's Back Injury: A Family's Struggle

Hello and thank you for taking the time out of your day to learn about me and my situation.

My name is Mathew Anderson. I am a married father of 2 children: a just recently turned (late April) 16-year-old daughter and a just recently turned (mid-April) 13-year-old daughter.

I have been together with my wife since Thanksgiving night of 2005 and have been married to her since January 4th of 2008. I knew that I loved her the night I met her and I proposed to her 5 weeks into our relationship.

Now that you know a bit more about me and my family, I would like to fill you in on why I am asking for help.

Honestly, I truly hate this and am seriously embarrassed and ashamed to have to even try this website. I have donated to 8 different GoFundMe's over the years and felt good helping but never thought I would be here asking for help. I know it isn't a shameful thing, but it just feels like it is to me.

I am currently out of work and since 2022 my working has been shaky and spotty with a lot of short stints and temporary jobs due to my injuries. Due to my injuries, I am currently looking for work in a different field as I can no longer reliably hold a career in my trade any longer.

For the last 6 months, I have been on temporary disability due to my back and my back injuries. I am a certified welder by trade and went to trade school for a little over 2 1/2 years at the local college in 2011, taking a course called the "Accelerated Careers in Technology" course. I took every metal course and welding course offered as part of the course and passed every course with an A except for Machine Shop 301, which I received a C in due to running out of time on my project. I also made the Dean's List each year and was nominated for Student of the Year.

I was injured in 2020 right at the start of COVID and had to take time off of my welding job to receive a procedure on my back.

I was expected to be off of work for 1 month at the beginning of May, but due to COVID, the doctors could not get me into the hospital due to new policies at the hospital and just general confusion going on at that time. So they took me off another month, which turned into another month, and then eventually 6 months before I was able to return to work on October 4th, 2021.

Even though I had all my paperwork from my job and their blessing approving my time off for my disability and them stating my job was safe and protected upon returning, I was illegally let go and have been in a serious legal suit with them since.

My injuries include herniated and bulging discs, broken disc facets on multiple discs, narrowing of the spine, spinal cord encroachment, degenerative disc disease, arthritis throughout my back, and more. I am including a picture of the last MRI findings from Modesto Advanced Imaging in Modesto, California, so you can see I am being truthful and not lying for money as it's important to me that you know you are truly helping a family and person in need of help.

I am a Christian and I have had some help from my church family, but I have been so embarrassed to come forward and to be truthful about mine and my family's situation, but I cannot do it anymore. Unless something changes soon, we risk losing everything and I cannot watch my wife and daughters suffer anymore. Our daughters wear hand-me-downs to school all the time or clothes they have had for years and have very few items left that fit as they are still growing out of them daily. I own 3 shirts and 2 pairs of jeans. My wife is nearly out of clothing, not to mention car issues and bills that are left unpaid, etc.

I am no longer able to weld full-time as a job and am currently doing everything I can to find a different well-paying job that I can do that is not going to be affected by my back and body issues. I have been put back on my depression medication because I have been so depressed sometimes I barely have the energy to leave my bedroom. I pray constantly and something needs to change.

THIS is my last prayer. I was told to write this and to be honest and open-hearted. I am truly praying that my prayers are answered because I have nowhere else to turn and honestly I am broken and battered and I am truly hoping for the kindness of strangers that literally DO NOT owe me so much as an ounce of pity...

If you have it in your heart to help and have the means to, please help my family and myself. If you don't have it in your heart or if you don't have the means to help, please say a prayer for my family and/or share this GoFundMe at the very least. Honestly, a prayer truly means a lot to me at the moment.

Thank you for the time you spent reading about me, my family, and some of our story. I pray that you have a beautiful day and happiness in your heart.

Mathew