Dear friends, friends of friends, and to anyone reading this: I'm asking for your financial support to help me survive an unexpected injury.

On Saturday, July 26th, while dancing with an acquaintance for the first time, my dance partner unexpectedly and suddenly wrapped his arms around my upper body and proceeded to forcefully "dip" himself and forced my smaller body to hold his full bodyweight of over 200 pounds.

This all happened in less than one second. Without enough time to react, my knee blew out with a loud "pop" and I instantly collapsed. I couldn’t stand and was rushed to urgent care by my nearby friends. I could immediately tell something was seriously wrong.

The MRI confirmed my fear:

**Complete ACL tear**

Multiple deep bone bruises

Quadriceps tendon strain

Swelling and inflammation inside the joint.

I am now unable to walk without crutches and can barely stand with my weight on one leg. As a bodyworker who uses her body to make a living, this is a devastating circumstance.

I am pushing forward as fast as I can with the medical system; however, it will be a challenge, and even with insurance, the cost of medical bills, physical therapy, food and bills to survive during recovery is overwhelming me.

My work is physical, heart-driven, and deeply connected to serving my community. At this time, I am deeply heartbroken and genuinely terrified by the change in my life circumstances.

For those of you who don't know me: Hi, my name is Natalie. I'm a movement artist, fire dancer, Doula, and a Licensed Massage Therapist who serves my local community here in San Diego County. I run my own business named "Honor My Vessel" and was planning a grand opening discount to celebrate my newly created business when this incident put a halt to that. My knee injury has made it so I am unable to work, and I am scrambling to find financial solutions to survive.

I live alone and my support system is minimal. In this time of great need, I am reaching out to you in hopes that you may be able to financially contribute to help me during my journey to recovery.

Times are difficult for all of us right now, and I understand that many people will not be able to offer financial assistance. If you are able to share my story and this GoFundMe post, I would be so incredibly grateful to you.

If you are able to contribute, I cannot express in words the depth of my gratitude. Thank you for even considering to help me out here, or for helping to spread the word.

My road to recovery is likely long (months at minimum). Financial support will be used intelligently and with extreme care stretching out funds as long as possible to support my recovery and living expenses. To fully heal, I will likely need ACL reconstruction surgery and months of physical therapy. Some of my upcoming expenses include:

Surgery and hospital bills

Physical Therapy (Possibly Emotional Therapy)

Medical Imaging

Lost Income

Food and Supplies

The person responsible for injuring me is neglecting to take responsibility for his careless actions which have disabled me. As devastated as I am by this, circumstances dictate that I have to focus on survival.

If you contribute, you’re not just helping me pay bills, you’re giving me the chance to rebuild my life. I want more than anything to heal so that I may continue to serve my clients and community.

You are helping me to *literally* stand on my own two feet again.

Every donation, every share, every heart felt message of encouragement matters and is so deeply appreciated. I humbly ask for all the love and support you can offer so I can come back stronger than before.

Thank you for taking the time to tune into my situation and listen to my heart during such a a crucial, raw, and vulnerable time.

Sending much love and reverence,

Natalie