Michael's Medical Fund

On Monday, June 5th, one of my best friends went missing.  I got the news after coming home from work - he had been missing for over 12 hours and nobody knew where he was.  Michael Graham is one of my dearest friends and one of the kindest human beings I know.  

For several days we didn't know where he was or what was going on, but I had concerns.  I knew the past year had been really hard - he lost his Dad, who was the person he most admired and wanted to emulate.  He had taken an insurance sales job in the same company as his Dad and was trying to make that work, but the financial pressure of trying to start that up wasn't meeting the bills to support his family of six, and the negative thoughts were building.  I had heard it in his voice in our conversations over the past year.  
On Wednesday, to the great relief of so many who know and love Mike, police found him in a hotel in Omaha.

He wasn't abducted... he was deeply depressed.  He checked into the hotel not expecting to check out.  We very nearly lost him that day.  I've struggled with depression.  Many people do.  The thing that scared me most for Mike was knowing that in the middle of depression, the hardest thing to do is to ask for help.  It's an illness- like cancer of the mind.  

Through the course of this ordeal he has lost his job and is now looking for a new job that isn't commission based.  He is looking for ways to connect back into his faith and find a community to join.  He is doing the hard work of "wrestling the bear" of depression.  

Mike and his wife Jill are parents to 4 beautiful kids.  He's never asked me for anything... and my sense is that he would try to figure this out on his own.  But I feel like now is the time for him to simply receive.  So I'm starting this GoFundMe to help get them free of some of the burdens that led to these feelings and give them some runway for him to get healthy again.

The medical bills are mounting and there are new needs for additional professional guidance to help Mike fight through the challenges of winning the battle of the mind and be able to find hope again in the midst of darkness.  They've already accumulated some debt and whatever job Mike will do over the coming months will probably not quite cover the bills as they focus on his health first before focusing on a new career path.  I support that approach and hope you will as well.  

Our goal is to raise enough to wipe out the short term debts they've incurred, cover medical bills and professional services he needs to get healthy and make sure they can be present to his recovery over the next few months.  

We covet your prayers and your financial generosity in helping this wonderful family as they forge a new path to wholeness together.  I'm happy to speak individually with any of you who have questions.  Let's crush this goal and help the Graham's start this new chapter.  If each of you who love Mike and Jill would consider giving even just $50-100 to this cause, we would reach our goal in no time.  Please consider this and give as you feel led.  And please share this.

With you, standing with them - 
Dave Kraai