I first met Jill over 20 years ago, and one thing has always remained the same: her unwavering care for others. She’s the one you call when you’re in need — organizing fundraisers, advocating for causes, finding lost pets, or rounding up supplies for someone going through a hard time. Jill never says no. She leads with her heart and somehow always finds a way to leave people better than she found them.

What most people don’t see is what Jill — and her husband Wes — have been quietly enduring behind the scenes. It’s not in their nature to ask for help. "Someone always has it worse," or "We’ll figure it out," is how they’ve always pushed through. But this time, they can’t do it alone. Setting up this GoFundMe is a reminder that no one gets left behind — not a soldier, not a caregiver, not the people who show up for everyone else without expecting anything in return.

So what’s going on?

Wesley Byrd is a 100% disabled U.S. Army veteran who is currently in the fight of his life — not only against relentless chronic pain, but against a healthcare system that continues to fall short for veterans like him.

Wes suffers from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) — one of the most painful and debilitating conditions known in medicine. It’s so severe, it’s often referred to as "the suicide disease." After years of suffering and searching, he and Jill finally found something that helps: ketamine infusions at the Cleveland Clinic. These treatments are the only thing that have brought him meaningful relief.

But here’s the heartbreaking part: even though Medicare and Medicaid cover the cost of the infusions themselves, all the travel expenses — gas, lodging, food, parking — come out of pocket. Because the treatments aren’t VA-funded, they don’t qualify for resources like the Fisher House. And as Wes’s condition has worsened, those trips have increased from every three months to every six weeks. Each trip now costs $1,500–$2,000, and the financial burden is becoming impossible to manage.

This is where we come in.

Wes and Jill never wanted to ask for help. Even getting them to agree to this GoFundMe took some convincing. But after many conversations (and a little bit of the same love and tough encouragement Jill has given so many of us over the years), they recognized that the need has grown too big to carry alone.

If you've ever met Jill, you know she’s never met a stranger. If you know Wes, you know he’s a fighter. They’ve both poured so much love into others — now it's time we pour some back into them.

Your donation will go directly toward covering travel expenses for Wes’s treatments and easing the financial pressure they’re under so they can focus on what really matters: his health and healing.

No amount is too small, and every share helps.

Let’s show them they’re not alone.