Support Chris and Son Through Hard Times

Help Chris Heal and Get Back on His Feet

Hi, my name is Chris Byars—some know me as Christopher. I’m a single dad just trying to keep things together for my kid with the help of my amazing parents. They’ve been my lifeline through all of this.

Last September, after a long night shift, I noticed my right leg had swelled to almost twice the size of my left. It was red, rock-hard, and incredibly painful. I ended up in the ER and eventually got diagnosed with venous insufficiency, a condition that causes poor blood flow and leads to swelling, pain, and recurring infections like cellulitis, which I’ve now had over seven times.

I didn’t realize how serious things were at first. I thought I’d be back to work within a week, so I didn’t file for workers comp—something I now deeply regret. Weeks turned into months of uncertainty, specialists, and unanswered questions from doctors. During this time, I was barely scraping by on short-term disability through a third-party company that works with my employer, US Foods. I was thankful, but their paperwork is extremely strict, and things eventually fell apart.

By the time I got officially diagnosed in late December, my legs had gotten worse. I tried going back to work in January, doing everything I could—using up every sick and vacation day just to survive—but by the end of March, I couldn’t do it anymore. I went back on medical leave. My job requires constant physical labor, and it just isn’t possible right now.

The specialist told me I need a vein ablation surgery and daily treatment with a hard compression machine, which alone costs $1,600—I’m currently making payments on it. Unfortunately, just last week I was denied short-term disability, even though my condition hasn’t improved. That means I now have zero income.

I’m asking for help to stay afloat while I wait for this surgery and try to heal. My goals are simple:

Pay for medical equipment and upcoming treatment

Keep a roof over my head and help support my son

Get healthy enough to return to work—or find a job I can actually do with this condition

This isn’t easy to ask. But if you’ve ever known what it’s like to feel like you’re drowning and just need a hand to stay above water—you’ll understand. Even a share can make a difference. Thank you so much for reading this.

With gratitude,

Chris