<div>Michael Whiting. Big Mike. Mr. Mike. Mikey. He has many names, but to me, I am lucky to call him my friend. I have known Mike since our old days at Cary High School, where his presence filled the hallways. I remember watching Mean Gene dancing on the court at the Wolfpack basketball games, and I can’t remember a Canes game where I didn’t hear his horn, igniting the crowd. It wasn’t until I worked with Mike at BHFS that I really saw him shine. There is no doubt that this man was made to make a difference in the lives of children and their families.

</div>

<div>Mike is the kindest and most caring individual I have ever met. He always puts others first. His infectious spirit and passion for others radiates. Every November he chooses an organization on his birthday and collects items for those in need, always making a difference in children’s lives. He has collected toys, blankets, diapers, band-aids… even collected underwear and socks as a part of his “Operation Undercover.” Mike’s selfless acts are inspiring, and the best part is he is creating future selfless givers each day in his classroom at Highland. Mike would never ask, and I’ve tried for years to get him to let me do this. He has helped so many. It’s time we help him. <strong>He is desperate. If you can find it in your heart to give, it would mean the world to me. He is the best friend there is. Now let’s help him.</strong> And now, a message from the man himself...

</div>

<div>Hello everyone,

</div>

<div>Thank you for visiting my GoFundMe page. It's truly out of my comfort zone to ask for help, but I've reached a point where it's essential. I'm reaching out to my community for support as I face significant health challenges that require urgent attention.

</div>

<div>For over two decades, I've dedicated my career to working with children as a preschool teacher, a role I've cherished since 2000. Many of you may also know me from my long-standing roles with the Carolina Hurricanes as a team ambassador since 2002, or from my time as "Mic Man" for NC State Football and "Mean Gene" the Dancing Machine at NC State basketball games. My life's passion has always been to bring energy and support to those around me, whether in the classroom or on the field.

</div>

<div>Currently, I'm facing a pressing need for major dental procedures. Due to traumatic experiences in my youth, I've developed severe dental anxiety, making routine visits incredibly difficult. My blood pressure often spikes, preventing dentists from working on me without general anesthesia, which adds significant cost. Unfortunately, these dental issues are now impacting my overall health, including my heart, making treatment no longer optional. With insurance covering only a fraction of the cost, the financial burden is substantial.

</div>

<div>In addition to my dental needs, <strong>I require a double hip replacement.</strong> This is a major surgery that will significantly impact my ability to work during recovery. Funds are needed to cover medical expenses not covered by insurance and to help support me during the time I'll be unable to work.

</div>

<div>My current living situation has also been impacted by my health. I'm in urgent need of a heavy-duty lift chair recliner with a lay-flat function. Due to severe hip pain, I often sleep sitting up, which has led to additional joint problems. This chair would significantly improve my comfort and prevent further health complications. I also rely on a scooter for mobility, and mine, though only two years old, requires costly repairs or replacement due to extensive daily use and being out of warranty.

</div>

<div>Throughout my life, I've always strived to be a helper and a giver. I've spearheaded fundraisers that have raised over $50,000 for individuals and charities, and I regularly organize charitable initiatives through my work. It's humbling to now be on the receiving end of support, and I'm incredibly grateful for any assistance you can offer.

</div>

<div>Every donation, no matter the size, and every share of this fundraiser makes a tangible difference. Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and for being a part of my journey to better health.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Mike "Big Mike" Whiting

</div>

Anonymous

John Walkowski

Billy Williams

Evan Yonkers

Michael Neptune

Edward Stanton

John Clark

MARK FUNKE

avery morrow

Dayna Portis

Michelle Armistead

GEORGE MEYER

Robyn Dezern

Cody Malley

Christina Hall

Allison Phillips

Big Mike needs Big Help!

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Big Mike needs Big Help!

Still $6,119 to go. Help us build momentum.