Travis and Joanne Allen suffer so many losses.

Hi everyone. My name is Katie Allen and my parents (by marriage) could really use some financial help. They are Joanne and Travis Allen, of Teller County, Colorado and have suffered numerous misfortunes and extreme hardships in a row for so many months in a row now.

Early this past fall season my Dad, as a result of his hard work as a mechanic and subsequent injuries on the job, needed a shoulder replacement. This rendered him out of work for several months which was an enormous loss to their income. Having just some basic health insurance that they purchase themselves as business owners, the hospital stay and follow up PT costs have been substantial, but this was just the beginning, sadly, for these amazing people.

Late fall, before Dad had really been able to return to work full time, they suffered an awful house fire. Dad was able to get Mom out of the house safely but the damage to the home was (and still is) ENORMOUS. The fire began in the chimney and spread quickly to the rest of the house and the bulk of the damage was done to the roof. Their insurance company came out and determined with absolute certainty that the entire roof and electrical for the entire home must be torn down and replaced. Additionally, most of the walls that weren't destroyed by the fire need to come down and be replaced because of smoke and water damage throughout their home. This has left them completely unable to stay at their home at all and so many of their things need to be replaced. Through the grace of God and selfless help from my Grandmother, they have a place to stay in the meantime but the rebuilding of their home is crawling along super slowly and the costs of not having their help from insurance in the least yet has rendered them financially hurt even more. To add insult to injury, Joanne has some health conditions that were intensified by the smoke inhalation and stress of losing so very much.

Secondly, for over a year at the time, my parents had saved and saved to go on a very special vacation to Disney World with their son (my husband) Erin, their daughter (Sammy), their grandchildren, Otti, Lana and Fiona, (my niece and 2 daughters) and my Grandmother. The trip was just 2 weeks after the fire, right before Thanksgiving. Since we had all saved for so long and prepaid for the trip over the course of the year, after not having taken a trip themselves for a dozen years or more, it seemed that this was just the break from the hard reality of the fire and work injury that they needed. In an extremely sad turn of events however, Joanne ended up getting sick on the second day of our trip and was admitted to ICU at a hospital in Orlando where she had to stay for 8 days. It was touch and go for awhile in ICU but she was transferred to a regular room, thank God, for 2 more days before being cleared to fly back home to Colorado. They spent Thanksgiving in the hospital even. Needless to say that while being an emotional devastation, the costs were enormous. Travis and my Grandma stayed with Joanne in Orlando after the rest of us had to fly back to our homes in Colorado and Michigan. This was pricey for Dad and Grandma to have to pay for a place to stay in Orlando so they could be with Mom as they obviously didn't have supplies or even a vehicle while Mom was in ICU for so long. Larger than that however has been the cost for urgent care visits, LENGTHY hospital stay and many medications that were not covered at any out of state pharmacy. Again, their basic health insurance helps some but there have been so many bills coming in for all the things that are not covered, which is a surprisingly large amount. Mom has needed after care to try and gain her strength back and remain healthy, and these costs have added up as well. Combined with the loss of their home this has yielded a newly (and highly) stressful way of life, which is dicey when it comes to Moms overall healing, as one can imagine. Dad was (and still is) limited in the amount of work he can do as a result of trying to care for Mom, as well as himself, though I'm certain he works far harder and far more than doctors and the rest of us who love him would prefer.

Here is the most important part...

My parents are humble people and would never ask for a hand, be it financially or physically. I do know that they have asked for prayers to help them through the horrible events of these last few months, and while I agree that our prayers are so important, I am asking for even more.

For those of you who do not know Jo and Trav, I absolutely must give you a brief history of who they are and what they mean to their community.

They own a small multi generational tow truck and mechanic shop called JET Service, in Victor Colorado. For MANY years they have selflessly helped the residents of Victor and Cripple Creek. They have done so with smiles and very little profit in return. Dad was volunteer fire chief in Victor many years ago, (followed later by his son Erin (my husband) for quite some time as well.) There is nothing, literally nothing, that Jo and Trav would not do to help their community, and while staying humble and selfless ALWAYS.

For so very many years and at all hours of the day and night, my folks would (and still will) drop everything to help the community of Teller County. Asking very little, if anything, in return, they are well known and well loved by the enormous volume of people who know them.

That said, Sammy and Aunt Judy (Joanne's sister) and myself thought we would ask for some financial assistance for Mom and Dad. While I'm sure this may blindside them some, I know that Mom and Dad would never ask for help, but the three of us sure can. Between Jo and Trav being the only employees of JET Service and trying to stay open and working through surgery then the house fire and then (and still) the massive health scare that Mom was (and is) still experiencing, the financial situation is dire.

Victor, Cripple Creek, Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Teller County... I implore you to open your hearts for this couple who have always ALWAYS served others compassionately and without hesitation. Mom and Dad absolutely MUST have a better year than the last and I am certain that with our help that is a very real possibility.

Any amount helps. Prayers are appreciated as well.

In advance, THANK YOU. Our entire family appreciates you, humbly and boundlessly.