Hi, my name is Jeffrey Chavez and my nephews' name is Matthew Myers he is 36-years old.  When he was 16-years old, he was somewhat of a defiant teenager,  and in an instant, his life was changed forever and that was the beginning of a whirlwind he has trapped himself in for the last 20 years. Matthew lives in the small town of Washburn, TN, one day while driving to school Matthew lost control of my vehicle hitting a 32-year old school nurse head-on and ending her life.  The tragedy has haunted Matthew and has caused him to live in major guilt for the past 20 years.  Matthew can never forget the words her family left him with and these words are burned in his mind forever - “his disability will be his punishment; therefore, we are not pressing charges, it was an accident”.  the accident left Matthew a complete quadriplegic from the neck down.
Since Matthew's accident, he has been confined to his bed or wheelchair, within a very limited area in his home.  Matthew's grandparents, along with his mother and other family members have raised him to the best of their ability, but most recently many have passed away and Matthew is in dire need to help himself daily.

Matthew has lived his life in loneliness, anger, confusion, and most importantly…regret.  There has never been a day that goes by that he doesn't show regret for the life he feels he took and there have been so many times he wished it had been him and not her.

It’s taken 20 years for him to come to grips with the guilt and to understand that what happened was an accident.  Although that tragedy will never leave his mind, Matthew has come to a new stage in life. Since this accident, there have been many relationships Matthew has lost or missed out on due to his rebellious attitude. Matthew seeks forgiveness from the family of the young lady who lost her life, all-knowing it may never happen, most recently Matthew has quit smoking and has dedicated his life to serving God.

The love and grace of God has given Matthew refuge and strength to overcome his battles. recently Matthews' aunt and uncle moved from NM to TN. His mom and my pawpaw are amazing people and try to fill his life with joy.  Their daily routine of feeding him, bathing, and other basic needs have become overwhelming for them due to age and health.  

Matthew will never walk again and will always struggle to get in and out of bed, settling in his wheelchair and the home he lives in is not equipped for him to bathe himself,  My sister Doris Conklin has graciously been spending time daily traveling to help Matthew and assist his mom and Papaw clean and help him.

What we are needing is to raise enough money so we can have his bathroom transitioned so that he can be more self-sufficient with a shower he can use without the needs of others. The cost is between $8,000 to $10,000.  We are asking our friends and family if they could assist us with whatever they can. 
God bless you for taking the time to listen to Matthews' story.