Rod Smith is a longtime friend and a familiar face at Freedom Boat Club on San Carlos Island. He’s known for his kindness and resilience, never complaining even when life throws him curveballs. Rod lost his car and his home during Hurricane Ian, but despite everything, he’s always been there for others and remains a positive force in the community.

Recently, Rod was involved in a serious accident at the entrance of Seagrape Plaza. While riding his bike, a truck cut across in front of him on the sidewalk, causing a collision that left Rod badly injured. He felt bad for denting the other guy’s truck, even though the accident wasn’t his fault, and let the driver go without getting his insurance information. Now, Rod has been in the hospital for six days, battling a massive infection in his leg that requires invasive surgery. He can’t stand on his leg, and doctors will need to cut out the infection and scrape his bone to save it. Rod has no insurance and will be out of work for some time, with little savings to fall back on.

Any financial help will go straight to Rod, helping him cover medical bills and living expenses while he recovers. If you have any information about the truck involved in the accident—a 1500 Chevrolet Pick Up, older, gray-haired white male driver, at Seagrape Plaza on April 12 between 9:30 and 10:30—please reach out. Most importantly, please consider supporting Rod during this difficult time. Your help will make a real difference for him.