We don't "get over" or "move on" from trauma. We are forced to make space for it. We carry it. We learn to live with it. And, sometimes we thrive in spite of it. (Source Anonymous)

That anonymous quote caught my attention recently. With it in mind, I must explain why we have begun a new fundraising campaign to benefit the victim of gun violence trauma in our family, our son Alex.

I am Bea Morse. Most people who are venturing here know me as Alex's mom. Many friends of ours are aware that on January 1, 2019, the lives of everyone in our family were turned upside down when Alex was a victim of random gun violence. He was shot in the head while just walking down the street by a bullet fired by a young man having an argument half a block away. Alex's journey from near death toward recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. His progress has been slow but constant. Now, we have a chance to improve his quality of life. To do that, however, we need to raise funds for specialized equipment and to support some of his daily living expenses. Please read below about why we have set up this GoFundMe.

Alex has become eligible for an power wheelchair which will be 80% covered by Medicare. He is on Medicare now because he qualifies for Social Security Disability Income as a permanently disabled person. To go along with the new wheelchair we will need to purchase a van to replace the second hand Subaru currently used as transportation for him. The estimate of the cost of a properly modified van is $60,000 to $75,000. We have not found any sources of funds for the cost of the van and cannot afford to pay for it from our own diminished resources. His care and life saving support have wiped out almost all that his father and I had saved for our retirement.

This GoFundMe has been set up to cover the 20% Medicare co-pay, and the extraordinary expense for the van, as well as to provide additional support for Alex's therapy and other extraordinary expenses.

The extended Morse family members hope that you might be able to contribute here today. A contribution in any amount, even $5, will help us reach our goal.

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If you have not heard the details of how Alex was injured, or would like to know more about the movement to curb gun violence, please contact me at [email redacted] for a copy of a speech I gave in June, which was Gun Violence Awareness Month.

Thank you for your interest in Alex and our family. Bea Morse