Pooki Lee Needs Your Help!

If you know Pooki, you know how radiant, loving, and full of light she is. Her spirit has touched so many people in her lifetime.

But in late July, Pooki suffered a severe injury that has turned our world upside down. She broke three bones around her ankle and another in her leg — a devastating setback for a lifelong hula dancer with an active lifestyle.

I’m Bob, Pooki’s husband. I created this GoFundMe to help ease the burden of unexpected medical expenses that have come with her injury and surgery on August 8.

While Pooki does have health insurance, it’s a basic Bronze-level plan with high deductibles and co-pays. This means the financial impact of her recovery is falling heavily on us.

We’re still waiting on the final figures, but we estimate the total medical costs will be around $15,000 — and with physical therapy and necessary recovery tools, we anticipate it could easily reach $20,000 or more.

It will take six months to a year for her to make a full recovery.

Why We Need Your Help

The timing of this could not be worse. Our cash flow was already tight, with more going out than coming in each month. We’ve been living frugally, but this unexpected financial strain is overwhelming.

For years, I’ve been the primary breadwinner. My YouTube channel was a major source of income for us, but due to changes in algorithms and shifts in online content consumption, my YouTube revenue has dropped more than 70%.

As you can imagine, this has made it hard to cover all of our basic needs, let alone unexpected expenses like this.

Now, with Pooki’s surgery and ongoing recovery, we’re facing a financial mountain we don’t know how we’ll climb out of.

How You Can Make a Difference

If you’ve ever been touched by anything that Pooki or I have shared — whether it’s through our music, our words, or our personal interactions with you — this is an opportunity to give back.

Any contribution will make a huge difference in helping Pooki recover and relieve some of the financial pressure we’re facing.

Here’s a summary of our financial burden:

Pooki’s recovery journey will take many months. She’s already been through so much physically and emotionally, and the added stress of these financial burdens is taking a toll on both of us.

How Pooki Broke Her Foot

Here’s how it happened: On July 29, Pooki went on a float trip with friends (I wasn’t there.) A half hour into the float, she stood near the edge of the river to take a photo when her foot got caught in a tangle of tree roots.

As she lost her balance and fell, her foot stayed wedged in the roots, and her ankle twisted severely. When she pulled her foot out of the water, it was hanging off the side of her leg.

Thankfully, one of Pooki’s friends that day was a chiropractor who helped realign her foot, and another friend, a former RN, was able to assist. (Big thanks to Brian and Kourtney!)

Despite the pain, Pooki finished the float trip with her foot elevated (no skin was broken), and by the end of the day, she was driven home and carried into the house.

The next day, after X-rays confirmed the extent of her injury, we started the search for an experienced foot surgeon, and the rest is history.

Why We Need Your Support

This is a difficult situation for us, but with your help, Pooki can focus on healing without a constant worry about finances.

We are asking for your support because, quite simply, we’re not sure how we can do this alone. If Pooki or I have ever positively impacted you, we would be incredibly grateful for your contribution — no matter the amount.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity, love, and support during this challenging time.