PJ is the kind of person who throws himself fully into everything he loves, whether that's skiing fresh powder in Japan, volunteering at community events, or trudging into the backcountry of the Olympic Peninsula to place microphones in the wild.

That last one is what he was doing when everything changed.

While helping deploy bioacoustic monitoring equipment near Amanda Park, PJ fell 60 feet. He shattered his T-12 vertebra. He has already undergone spinal surgery and may face another. Right now, he cannot feel below his waist, and his long-term prognosis is still unfolding day by day.

PJ left a career in tech and gaming to dedicate himself to climate and outdoors work, the kind of unglamorous, boots-on-the-ground effort that doesn't always come with a safety net. Now, he is choosing to hold multiple part-time jobs and pour the rest of his time into the work and his passion for the climate and outdoors.

While his employer is following Washington state leave and proving healthcare for the short term, there is still a real and immediate gap. His mortgage needs to be paid. His bills don't pause for recovery. This fall also means he has to give up all the part time roles he was excited about that he had lined up for the summer. And the road ahead includes rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, and an uncertain return to work which might be long and expensive.

This fund exists to give PJ one less thing to worry about while he focuses on healing.

If you've shared a trail, a chairlift, a volunteer shift, or a conversation over beers with PJ, you know what he gives to the people and places around him. Now it's our turn.

Every dollar goes directly to PJ to cover housing and living expenses during his recovery. We will post regular updates here as we learn more about his prognosis and path forward.

Thank you for being part of his community.