I dont care what trade you belong to- Pipefitter, Welder, Ironworker, Tin Knocker, Sparky, Carpenter, Glazier etc.

No matter what trade or job you have- if you’re a blue collar worker there’s 1 thing that keeps us all up at night. It’s not a nightmare in relation to our dreams per se, it’s a nightmare of a different kind.

It’s the thing that sickens us, makes us nervous, strikes a nerve, and terrifies us with uncertainty and fear. It’s an all too common problem it seems these days, and it haunts us, and will continue to haunt us until we hopefully “make it” to the end of our career.

It’s the fear of being unable to provide for our family, and for ourselves. Not because of a mistake we may have made, or something dumb that we did, or an accident that happened- but because our BODY has given out before our heart, mind and our spirit.

It’s not from an accident, or mistreatment of ourselves but an illness or a disease that is completely beyond our control. Something we didn’t have anything to do with, but are now “stuck” with the consequences of the disease slowly destroying our body physically, and in the process also taxing us mentally, and spiritually.

THIS- brothers and sisters is what’s happening to my friend, my union brother, and my now ex-coworker Kevin Yeoman.

Kevin has been a loyal member of UA Local 81 Pipefitters/Steamfitters Union since 2011, and been an employee of the contractor I work for since he got in the trade. He’s a loving Father to 2, a Husband, and a friend and brother to all the tradesman he has worked beside since he entered into our “Field of deplorables”.

Ive known Kevin since he got in the trade 14 years ago, and have with him numerous times over the years, and I can personally say without hesitation that they don’t get any better than this guy. Kevin’s “Strong, happy and ready” M.O. kept him working through seasonal layoffs for almost 1.5 decades. He’s worked side by side with many guys from our area, and just like the rest of us, he has enjoyed providing a good life for his family….. until the last year.

Over Last year Kevin began having symptoms of illness, and like most of us- continued working through the sickness…. Because That’s what we’re supposed to do, right?!

Our mentality is so twisted-we’ll take care of everyone else around us, and never bother taking care of ourselves…. It’s the blue collar way.

What felt like the Flu continued to get worse and worse until he could no longer close his hands…. Finally things came to a head, and Kevin could no longer physically take the pain, and the suffering he was enduring, so upon some pushing by his family and friends- he finally went in to see the doc to see what was ailing him….

After seeing numerous doctors, being poked, and prodded and doing about a thousand tests, they came back with the prognosis of Dermatomyositis and sjogrens disease. What the heck that is I have no idea, but after what I’ve witnessed with my own 2 eyes- I can testify that it’s nothing I would wish on my worst enemy.

My coworkers and I have spent the last year watching Kevin go from a mountain of a man, who was willing and able to tackle any task like a bull ravaging through a china shop to his current state. The Kevin these diseases have left in their wake can hardly get out of his truck, walk down a hallway and is to the point now where he’s in so much pain he struggles and winces just lifting a 3/8 nut….. We’ve watched him lose 100 pounds to the disease, and gain 60 of it back from the steroids the doctors prescribed him as part of his “treatment”. We’ve watched him try to “suck it up”, and “grow a muscle around it”, for almost 12 months but the reality is- He just can’t do it anymore.

So, After some long, and hard conversations about moving forward, Kevin had to give up on trying to work full time, and focus on “surviving” full time.

That being said, at the young age of 47 Kevin is now embarking on the process of filing for Disability Social Security, which as some of you may know can take months or even over a year to obtain….

Kevin left work possibly for the last time last Friday. When he came over to me to say goodbye and give me an handshake I asked him if I could start a go fund me for him, and he wasn’t too crazy about the idea…. He said that his Father instilled in him the principle that a man shouldn’t need help. But, After I talked some sense into him and twisted his arm a little, he reluctantly complied to my request.

So now here we are. I’m crying, your crying….

But here’s the only good part-

I’m giving YOU an opportunity to help my friend…

I’m giving you An opportunity to do something useful with your money, and to help a family who is absolutely in need of support and prayers. The Yeoman family is about to undergo a very hard season of uncertainty where bills are going to continue coming, even though Kevins pay checks are not. You may have the ability to make that season a little less cold, a little less stressful and a little less hard. I’m hoping and praying that you feel lead to lighten the financial burden that this season will put on them by donating with me. I promise you it’s money well spent.

Thank you for reading and thank you for helping my friend.