Mikeal’s Journey: 18 y.o. paralyzed by gun shots

Hi, this is Mikeal, and we are his aunt and uncle, James and Cheremi, and this is Mikeal’s journey…

Drive-by that killed teen paralyzed another

On Sunday October 16, at approximately 3:30pm, life as Mikeal and his family knew it was changed in an instant by a random act of violence that left his best friend dead and Mikeal paralyzed.

Shot 4 times by an AR15, Mikeal’s spinal cord was severed. At the young age of 18, Mikeal is now faced with with not only grieving the loss of his best friend but also relearning how to live without the use of his legs.

Faced with mounting medical bills, an upcoming transfer to a different State for a lengthy rehabilitation, and setting up life for Mikeal in their home, our hope is to help Mikeal’s parents by relieving some of the costs they are facing.

Mikeal will need a wheelchair. Mikeal’s parents’ (Jesse and Natasha) 2 storey home will need major renovations to be made wheelchair accessible, they will need a vehicle that can accommodate a wheelchair, flights to and from the out-of-State rehabilitation facility, as well as accommodations and food out of State while they stay close to Mikeal during this impossibly hard season.

All of this combined with mounting medical bills, increased time off work, even simple things like completely new clothes that work for being paralyzed and ease of all the medical tubes etc that Mikeal has hooked up to his body… navigating their new reality of life is overwhelming to say the least.

By helping relieve some of the burden financially our hope is that they as a family can begin the journey of healing both physically and emotionally from this senseless act of violence.

We have set a lofty goal but the reality is, this may not even cover everything Mikeal and his family need in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. Even a $5 donation will help them! Every dollar counts and brings us closer to removing one massive stress in a tragic time when they really just need space to focus on each other.

Please, if this story touches your heart, give whatever you can to show Mikeal and his family there is still love and good in this world. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

- James and Cheremi