My name is Ashley and I am the daughter of Paul (pictured above). We are from Philadelphia, PA - North Philly to be exact but my dad currently lives in Bucks County.

On the evening of Wednesday, March 25th, the pain became so unbearable that my dad checked himself into the hospital. It had been over ten years since he had last visited the doctors or a hospital for himself.  The last time he stepped foot in a hospital was probably the day my mom passed away and honestly.. I think that's where most if not all of his severe health challenges began.

My mom's passing hit the entire family hard. My dad became deeply depressed and as a result, his physical health suffered. He gained a lot of weight to the point where it became difficult more difficult for him to walk and do things that he used to do. Over the years, he was hit with financial challenge, after physical challenge, after emotional challenge. I swear yall it was like he could not catch a break and we (the fam) were doing all we could to help. He slept in his car for almost two years while still trying to find odd jobs to make ends meet. You can imagine that caused extreme damage/swelling to his legs and feet + high blood pressure, not to mention the mental and emotional toll that being houseless takes on someone.

When he was admitted to the hospital, his BP was 217/110. Which is really freaking high. Over his time in the hospital, the healthcare team was able to get his pressure stable, somewhere around 148/88. Surprising to the docs (because they often pass judgment on patients based on weight alone *eye roll*), his heart, kidney, and liver function are all great. AND he ain't got diabetes. He does, however, have severe edema caused from sleeping in and spending so much time in his car.

I won't dive too much deeper into the specifics of his journey and the explicit details of each obstacle he faced but I'm sure you can imagine. He's posted daily updates on his FB. Pasted a few of them here since his page is private: 

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Day 5: y’all I lost 21lbs of fluid. I’m carrying 275lbs of extra water.
Health report card Lungs 95% Kidney 97% Liver %99 Heart 80%
Blood Pressure 152/72 Oxygen 94%
Borderline diabetic they got me on Super Hero Diuretics and Blood Pressure pills. Almost home y’all and hell no I don’t got no Corona (God’sWill) I love y’all. s/0 to my Squizzy

What’s up Facebook Day 5 in the hospital and I’m fighting this with angels backing me up. I swore I was type 1 or 2 diabetes ‍♂️ I ll reveal my weight and current weight. My lil bro loves me sooo much he pledged $100 for every 10lbs I lose



6days later I now weigh 489.54lbs Minus 35.44lbs
No heart disease no diabetes
Kidney, Liver and Lungs over 90% functioning and edema reduced by 32% and a improved blood pressure thanks to ST Mary’s of Levittown 
#UntilTomorrow
#UnkOut...


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So why am I here today asking for your help? Especially when the world is shutting down to fight the CoronaVirus?

Praise God, my dad was released from the hospital today but that does not mean the road to healing and wellness is over or will be easy. The healthcare team let us know that my dad absolutely needs a recliner chair with the Trendelenberg position. He needs special sneakers for the acute swelling in his feet. Of course, they contacted his Medicaid insurance company to see if these items could be covered. They offered and were more than willing to write a prescription for them. And probably as no surprise to y'all, the insurance company is unwilling to cover these items despite the doctors recommendations. 

We are not a wealthy family and have little to no disposable income. My dad's income almost entirely comes from driving Uber. But remember that being/sleeping in the car for extended periods of time is one of the main reasons he ended up in this situation. At this point, his health and his life are paramount and more important than spending 14 hours a day driving for Uber. This gig lifestyle is not sustainable for anyone let alone someone like my dad with severely limited mobility and health challenges.

This is why we are asking for help from our community. We are committed to walking alongside and helping our dad/brother/son/friend during this journey, and we most certainly need your help to do so. Again, I know that this is an emotionally, financially, and physically trying time for most people in the world. If you have the capacity to and wish to support Paul/Unk P during this time, your contribution would be greatly appreciated.

with so much love,

ashley, joey, pauly, naima, & judy



For folks who want to see the specifics of why I am trying to raise almost $11,000 please see below. Initially, the fundraise was only for $6,000. As my brother and I have begun to care for my dad, we realize that I grossly underestimated the cost of his care, medical supplies, and bills. As my dad's secondary caregiver, I have been purchasing his medical supplies and taking care of his expenses until he is back on his feet:

edema sneakers : $165
edema recliner chair : $2,100
rent for two months: 1245 x 2 =$2,490
utilities: 223 x 2 = $446
car note and insurance for two months: 731 x 2 = $1,462
groceries & hh/medical supplies for 4 weeks: 892 x 2 = $1784
24 hour care and support = 1200 x 2 = $2400
shower chair  = $224.00
foot bath to soak feet with epsom salt = $42.00

total: $10,847
gofundme has a 3% fee = $325.41
10,847 + 325.41 = 11,172.41