My name is Ian Bushell, the step dad for Skylar Cutler-Nelson, and I'm setting up this fund for him.

Skylar has had a rough go the last few months. Shortly after joining the Marines, his bio father passed away. Sky came home for the memorial, but returned to boot camp to complete this training. Due to a medical issue he had to leave boot camp after completing 2/3rds of the training. Unrelated to the medical, he had some wisdom teeth pulled, per USMC dentist.

He returned home to Kodiak and resumed his job at Henry's and trying to figure out his long-term plans.

Early Sunday morning, 7/20, he was chatting with a person downtown Kodiak, and a person struck him in the head from behind. He was surprised, and it was instantly painful. Also, a lot of blood in his mouth. Skylar thought the bleeding from where a tooth had been pulled.

He went home and tried to sleep, but wasn't able to due to the pain.

Skylar was finally able to get to a dentist that Friday to find out what the issue was. An x-ray confirmed his jaw was broken. The oral surgeon has confirmed it is an angular break and, in his words, “bad.” Skylar will have to be very careful till it is fully healed, or it will create complications.

Due to the urgency, we scheduled an appoint with an oral surgery in Anchorage for the following Tuesday. We were quoted the surgery would cost $21,000.

Unfortunately, Skylar was on his father insurance but that was only for 60 days after his passing and this has fallen a little past that.

That is the reason I’m starting this GoFundMe. We are working on trying to get help from other places such as Medicaid and the Alaska Victims Fund, but I do no know how much they will cover or how long it will take. The police are involved and investigating the incident. Please feel to give here, anything will help. If you have any questions, please ask. Any money received will go for medical expenses and for travel. I’ve had some people already donate outside of here, and I am enterally grateful.

As I write this up Sky is in surgery and afterwards will be a very strict liquid only diet, no chewing for 6 weeks. Sky has been very resilient and not complaining despite the pain he is in.

Thank you.